Hosted by the National Utility Contractors Association (NUCA), with support from the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), the goal of the annual Trench Safety Stand Down (TSSD) is to reach out to the many workers who work in and around trenches and excavations to provide them with information about current excavation requirements and safety procedures for working in trenches. To access all the resources you need to plan your event, visit the NUCA TSSD webpage.
On May 10, the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) issued a memorandum titled Interim Guidance for Worker Walkaround Representative Designation Process. The memorandum provides interim guidance for implementing the Worker Walkaround Representative Designation Process final rule ("Walkaround rule"), which was published on April 1, 2024, and went into effect on May 31, 2024. This rule clarifies that employee representatives during OSHA inspections can include third-party individuals if deemed necessary by Compliance Safety and Health Officers (CSHOs).
Open to all industries, the goal of the photo contest is to highlight and showcase the effective strategies that stakeholders are using to protect workers from the heat. OSHA wants stakeholders to see heat safety in action and be encouraged to adopt similar practices.
Earlier this year, Íæż½ã½ã of America filed a coalition amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court, supporting a water utility sector’s request for the Court to clarify whether Clean Water Act (CWA) NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) permits can include generic prohibitions. Íæż½ã½ã members have noted these generic prohibitions in permits nationwide. This language does not provide a compliance path for permittees and exposes them to enforcement, criminal penalties, and citizen suits for activities that conform to the permit. On May 28, the Court issued an order granting certiorari, meaning it will hear the case.
On May 17, Íæż½ã½ã and its coalition peers responded to a recent White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) request for feedback on methods and practices for advancing public participation and community engagement (PPCE). The comments urge the agency to recognize the importance of engagement with the regulated community, enhance participation and accessibility, and improve transparency.
On May 22, the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works passed the Íæż½ã½ã-backed Water Resources Development Act of 2024 (WRDA 2024).
Check out learning opportunities for environmental and sustainability professionals