ISO 45001 Safety Management Standard Draft Published

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has release a final draft of it proposed International Standard for Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems, designated ISO 45001. Publication of the final standard is likely to be in the first half of 2018.

The standard is being developed by a committee of occupational health and safety experts, and will follow other generic management system approaches such as ISO 14001 and ISO 9001. It will take into account other International Standards in this area such as OHSAS 18001, the International Labour Organization's ILO-OSH Guidelines, various national standards and the ILO's international labor standards and conventions.

For those organizations that have already developed safety and health programs under OHSAS 18001, the publication of ISO 45001 will be particularly significant. OHSAS 18001 will be withdrawn on publication of ISO 45001 and organizations currently certified to OHSAS 18001 will have a three year period to migrate to ISO 45001.

Click here for examples of Caltha projects related to management systems and specifically on health and safety.

Charlotte Facility Needed Audit For Compliance Improvement

Caltha LLP Project Summary

Project: Compliance Audit
Client: National Industrial Corporation
Location(s): Charlotte, North Carolina

Key Elements: EH&S audit, hazardous waste, air permit, hazardous material storage, wastewater permit, hazard communication

Overview: Caltha staff conducted a multimedia environmental, health and safety audit of this industrial facility located in Charlotte, NC. The scope of the audit included:

• EPCRA
• Hazardous waste rules as applicable to RCRA Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity Generator (CESQG), and Solid Waste Management rules including Mecklenburg County Mandatory Source Separation Ordinance (SSO) and 15A NCAC 13B
• Current NC Air Permit
• Current Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utility Department industrial wastewater discharge permit
• TSCA
• Tanks
• Hazard communication
• DOT Hazardous material transportation

The audit was led by a IIA-certified professional auditor.

Click here to review other example Caltha EH&S auditing projects. Click here to review other Caltha projects in North Carolina and NC regulatory updates.

DEQ Plans Hazardous Waste Generator Rule Update

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has proposed a schedule to adopt the federal hazardous waste generator improvement rule into State hazardous waste regulations. This state rule also freezes the existing hazardous waste generator rules from May 29,2017 in place until North Carolina adopts the Hazardous Waste Generator Improvements Rule on March 1, 2018.

The EPA Hazardous Waste Generator Improvement Rule was finalized in 2016 and became effective in a few States in May 2017. However, the majority of States need to adopt the rule into their own State regulations in order for generators in their State to take advantage of the rule.

The EPA revision to RCRA rules is especially significant to Small Quantity generators (SQG) and Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity Generators (CESQG). Click here for more information on the key changes under the Hazardous Waste Generator Improvement Rule.

Click here for examples of Caltha projects related to hazardous waste management, and for project examples for clients located North Carolina.

Amendment Proposed To California Hazardous Waste Generator and TSDF Training

The California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) has proposed revisions to the state’s unique Title 22 hazardous waste facility requirements. In addition to permitted treatment, storage & disposal facilities (TSDF) portions also apply to large quantity generators (LQG) of hazardous waste in the State.

The proposed hazardous waste revisions include a new reporting requirement; by March 1 each year, hazardous waste generators will be required to submit a report to DTSC that certifies that every employee has been trained on all requirements applicable to his or her job. The proposed revisions will also require employers to keep employee-signed or -certified hazardous waste training records on site and makes numerous changes to the training content required.

Click here to review examples of Caltha's EHS Training projects, including California hazardous waste training.

SD Waste Rule Update | Hazardous Waste Generator Improvements Rule

The South Dakota Department of Environment & Natural Resources (DENR) has finalized its hazardous waste regulations in order to align the state regulations with updates to EPA’s federal hazardous waste management program. The final regulations do not include the new federal Hazardous Waste Generator Improvements Rule which went into effect on the federal level on May 2017.

Click here for more information on the EPA Hazardous Waste Generator Improvements Rule

Click here for an update on State implementation of solvent wipe rule

South Dakota’s revised hazardous waste regulations went into effect on September 12, 2017. The revised regulations incorporate federal regulations by reference, with some minor modifications. The federal regulations incorporated by reference are those amended as of July 1, 2016.

Click here for recent Caltha South Dakota project examples and regulatory updates for South Dakota.

South Dakota Finalizes Solvent Contaminated Wipe Exclusion

The South Dakota Department of Environment & Natural Resources (DENR) has finalized its hazardous waste regulations in order to align the state regulations with updates to EPA’s federal hazardous waste management program. South Dakota’s revised hazardous waste regulations went into effect on September 12, 2017. The revised regulations incorporate federal regulations by reference, with some minor modifications. The federal regulations incorporated by reference are those amended as of July 1, 2016.

The updated rule incorporates certain exclusions from the definitions of solid and/or hazardous waste are now available to hazardous waste generators. It also includes the conditional exclusions from the definitions of solid and hazardous waste for management of solvent-contaminated wipes and the hazardous waste exclusion for carbon dioxide streams in geologic sequestration activities.

The final regulations do not include the new federal Hazardous Waste Generator Improvements Rule which went into effect on the federal level on May 30 of this year.

Click here for recent Caltha South Dakota project examples and regulatory updates for South Dakota.

Rule on Management of Hazardous Waste Pharmaceuticals

The EPA Management Standards for Hazardous Waste Pharmaceuticals Rule was published in the Federal Register on September 25, 2015. EPA received a number of requests to extend the comment period and in response provided a 30-day extension. A notice announcing this extension was published in the Federal Register on November 5, 2015.



The rule proposes a tailored, sector-specific set of regulations for the management of hazardous waste pharmaceuticals by healthcare facilities (including pharmacies) and reverse distributors. It is intended to provide standards to ensure the management of hazardous waste pharmaceuticals is safe and workable within the healthcare setting. In addition, the proposed pharmaceutical rule is intended to reduce the amount of pharmaceuticals entering surface water.


States, such as Washington, has proposed their own interim policies regarding shipping of waste drugs which would otherwise be regulated as hazardous waste or dangerous waste.

Beryllium Worker Exposure Rule Deadlines

OSHA has issued a final rule limiting worker exposure to beryllium and beryllium compounds. The rule contains standards for general industry, construction, and shipyards which take effect on May 20, 2017. Employers must comply with most elements of the rule starting March 12, 2018.


The key provisions of the rule are:

• Reduces the permissible exposure limit (PEL) for beryllium to 0.2 micrograms per cubic meter of air, averaged over 8-hours.
• Establishes a new short term exposure limit for beryllium of 2.0 micrograms per cubic meter of air, over a 15-minute sampling period.
• Requires employers to: use engineering and work practice controls (such as ventilation or enclosure) to limit worker exposure to beryllium; provide respirators when controls cannot adequately limit exposure; limit worker access to high-exposure areas; develop a written exposure control plan; and train workers on beryllium hazards.
• Requires employers to make available medical exams to monitor exposed workers and provides medical removal protection benefits to workers identified with a beryllium-related disease.

Click here for more details on the safety, health and emergency preparedness services Caltha provides.


Click here to review a sampling of our past safety related projects.

Safety And Health Consultant Services In Minnesota

The development of cost effective safety programs to manage risks and to comply with OSHA regulations is a core service provided by Caltha LLP. Caltha also provides expert professional & technical support in developing safety management systems and in OHSAS 18001 registration. Caltha also supports our clients’ liability management programs by providing both systems and compliance auditing services.

Developing safety management programs that are easy to implement, document & track is an important service Caltha provides to our clients. This includes integrating compliance management with other risk management, quality improvement and cost control initiatives that our clients may already have. Caltha will train your staff to successfully implement the safety management programs in the future.

Caltha can also provide "as needed" technical support in preparing and maintaining OSHA compliance records, and to conduct incident investigations to support a root cause analysis. Caltha staff have led multi-disciplinary teams to develop corrective action plans arising from variety of incidence, including injuries, accidents, spills and fires.

Click here for more details on the safety, health and emergency preparedness services Caltha provides.

Click here to review a sampling of our past safety related projects.

Silica Rule Is Enforced Starting September 2017; General Industry Rule in 2018

US OSHA began enforcing the respirable crystalline silica rule for the construction industry on September 23, 2017. The rule had been set to go into effect in June; however, the Department of Labor and OSHA delayed enforcement of the rule by 90 days. The delay was intended to provide DOL and OSHA additional time to issue guidance to industry regarding compliance. The construction silica rule is a companion to OSHA’s general industry silica rule that is scheduled to be enforceable beginning June 23, 2018.

The rule lowers the permissible exposure limit (PEL) for respirable silica dust in the construction industry, to 50 microgram per cubic meter exposure limit, calculated as an eight-hour time-weighted average (TWA). Employers subject to the construction rule may comply by implementing required engineering and work practice controls and respiratory protection , or by completing exposure assessments  of employees above the action level of 25 micrograms per cubic meter.

Under the rule, employers must:

• Make medical screening available to employees who are required to use a respirator more than 30 or more days per year;
• Develop a written exposure control plan;
• Maintain certain records; and
• Comply with certain limitations on housekeeping practices, such as using wet sweeping, HEPA-filtered vacuuming, or other methods designed to reduce employee exposure when feasible.

Caltha LLP provides specialized expertise to clients nationwide in the evaluation environmental rules, developing EHS compliance procedures, and preparing cost-effective EHS management programs. For further information contact Caltha LLP at info@calthacompany.com or Caltha LLP Website

Corporate HSE Department Needed Site Remediation Oversight Support

Caltha LLP Project Summary

Project: Corporate HSE Staffing-Site Remediation Oversight
Client: Multi-national Chemical Company
Location(s): California, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ontario, Canada, Michigan, Kentucky, Arizona


Key Elements: Environmental Health & Safety Staffing, Site remediation


Overview: This chemical company contracted with Caltha to provide temporary staffing in its corporate HSE Department for the position that oversaw numerous site remediation projects being conducted across the US and Canada. Due to staff turnover the position needed to be filled quickly to assure that process on projects continued, on-site contractors had questions and issues addressed, and that required agency submittals were reviewed, approved and submitted on time. Caltha provided a highly experienced HSE professional to fill the position until the corporation could hire a permanent replacement. Caltha staff were then able to provide transitional support.


For more information on Caltha LLP services, go to the Caltha Contact Page

Compliance and Sustainability Training For MN and ND Industry

Caltha LLP Project Summary

Project: Environmental Awareness / Sustainability Training Module For Facility Management
Client: Grain Processing & Food Manufacturing Corporation 
Location(s): Minnesota, North Dakota


Key Elements: Regulatory training, Sustainability, Permit compliance, Employee training, Webinar


Overview: Caltha LLP was retained by this grain processing and food manufacturing corporation to prepare and present a training module that provides corporate and facility managers with basic compliance training to assist them in managing EH&S compliance activities at multiple facilities. The training was developed to be specific to the corporation's facilities and products and included:

• Company's commitment to sustainability / Sustainability policy
• Background on environmental regulations and key issues at company's locations
• Overview of company's key procedures

Training was created as a recorded live webinar which can be replayed as needed.


For more information on Caltha LLP EH&S Training services, go to the Caltha LLP EH&S Training Page

Certified Environmental Health and Safety Audit Services

Caltha LLP provides IAA-BEAC certified auditors to perform internal EH&S audits to support ISO 14001 registered organizations or to support routine internal audit programs implemented as part of an overall governance system. Caltha can provide:

• Single auditors to support audit teams as a media or regulatory expert,
• Audit teams to address multiple program areas, or
• Due diligence auditors / audit teams.

Caltha auditors can act as adjunct auditors to augment your existing internal audit team, or can act as an independent third party auditor.


Caltha auditors have conducted assessments in all 50 US States, Canada, Mexico, South America, Europe and Asia.


Click here for more information on Caltha Compliance Audit, Management System Audit and Due Diligence Assessment services

AZ Chemical Processor Needed Industrial Wastewater Management Plan

Caltha LLP Project Summary

Project: Compliance Review & Waste Water Management Procedure Development
Client: Chemical Processing Facility
Location(s): Arizona


Key Elements: Industrial waste water discharge, Waste management procedures, POTW industrial user rule, Wastewater sampling


Overview: Caltha LLP was retained by this Arizona chemical plant to conduct an assessment of wastewater management practices. The review included an evaluation of raw materials and waste products which could be discharged to the sanitary sewer from the process. Caltha staff met with POTW to determine waste acceptance criteria and developed key parameters which would be used to determine if specific waste streams were suitable for discharge to the POTW, or required alternate disposal methods. Caltha then prepared a written procedure for facility operators to use to screen waste streams to determine if discharge to the POTW was allowed. The procedure was provided to the POTW for review and concurrence.


For more information on Caltha LLP permit services, go to the Caltha Air, Wastewater and Waste Permitting Page