EHS on Tap

Subsurface areas such as basements are hidden harbors for silent and toxic intrusion of vapors that can lead to detrimental health effects. The Environmental Protection Agency has always had an interest in vapor intrusion, but now, rousing recent interest the agency has made a stark move. It has proposed to add vapor intrusion as a qualifier for priority sites under Superfund or the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act which will greatly impact those businesses found responsible for contamination. On this episode, Silent and Toxic Plumes, we speak with attorney and environmental expert, Stan Millan with the law firm Jones Walker in New Orleans about EPA’s recent stirrings in Vapor Intrusion. Mr. Millan has been practicing environmental law before courts and agencies for over 40 years. He also teaches environmental law at Tulane and Loyola University.

On this episode of EHS on Tap, Navigating the Proposed Pharmaceutical Rule, we plunge into EPA’s proposed Pharmaceutical Rule and what this rule will mean for the overall health of our freshwater resources as well as the consequences to health care facilities. Tune in as we speak with attorney and environmental law expert, Summer Nastich with Nastich Law in Berkeley, California about the soon to be finalized pharmaceutical rule. Ms. Nastich has a broad expertise in CERCLA, RCRA, and the Clean Water Act and other state and federal environmental statutes.

For the first time in 25 years, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, is increasing its penalty amounts. Employers could face civil penalties 78 percent greater than before. In an effort to boost compliance and deter safety violations, employers must demonstrate their commitment to safety… or pay the price.

Workers are injured everyday while on the job. These injuries can often result in missed work days, poor worker attitudes, and high turnover rates, even enforcement actions from OSHA. The good news is that the world of safety in the work place is changing. Safety is no longer something your employer tells you to do but is becoming a phenomenon where safety is weaved into the everyday behavior and mindset of all employees. On this episode, Safety Culture: From concept to Action, we speak with Shawn Galloway, the president and COO of ProAct Safety about incorporating safety culture in the workplace. Shawn has authored several best-selling books and is a columnist for several magazines. He helps organizations achieve and sustain safety excellence and he is definitely recognized as a top leader in the safety world.

On this Episode of EHS on Tap, we parse through the significant and recent legislative reform of the Toxic Substances Control Act, better known as TSCA, and what Congress's action will mean for the future of chemical regulation.

On this episode of EHS on Tap, we discuss the constantly changing work environment for construction workers and the human response to site progress. We talk to construction and compliance experts, Debbie Petrelle and Ana Ellington about this workplace phenomenon and the importance for construction workers and managers to practice good housekeeping on a daily basis.

On this episode, What Hawkes Means for Wetland Determinations, we speak with attorney and water expert, Stan Millan about the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision, Army Corps of Engineers v. Hawkes and what the ruling means for the future of wetland permitting.

On this episode, Wading Through the WOTUS Waters, we talk with attorney and water expert, Stan Millan with the law firm Jones Walker in New Orleans about this ongoing regulatory and legal dispute and the significant implications over the five-word phrase, “waters of the United States.”