From: OSHA

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) today published new educational materials for laboratory managers on protecting their workers from exposure to chemical, biological and physical hazards.

The new materials include the Laboratory Safety Guidance document, which describes how electrical, fire, explosions and falls, among other hazards, can be minimized or eliminated if employers use safety plans, worker training, engineering controls and personal protective equipment. New laboratory safety materials also include fact sheets that each focus on a specific hazard related to laboratory environments. Practices and precautions to protect laboratory personnel include safety guidance for using autoclaves, use of chemical fume hoods, labeling and transferring chemicals, and latex exposure.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to ensure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance.

Click on the links for more information.

From: OEHHA

Effective October 28, 2011, the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) is adding tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TDCPP) (CAS No. 13674-87-8) to the list of chemicals known to the State to cause cancer for purposes of the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986 (Proposition 65).

Tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TDCPP) was considered by the Carcinogen Identification Committee (CIC) in its official capacity as the “state’s qualified experts” at a public meeting held on October 12, 2011.  The CIC determined that tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TDCPP) was clearly shown, through scientifically valid testing according to generally accepted principles, to cause cancer.

A revised Propsition 65 list in available on the OEHHA website.

From: ECHA

ECHA has recently released Newsletter No. 5  for October 2011 on its website. This newsletter discusses the REACH conference, as well as other news from the ECHA over the last couple months.

This newsletter is available at the link below:

http://echa.europa.eu/doc/press/newsletter/echa_newsletter_2011_5.pdf

You can also find past newsletter and publications relating to EU regulations on the ECHA website.

Click on the links for more information.