News

FDA Proposes New Rule to Ban the Use of Formaldehyde in Hair Smoothing Products

EMSL Analytical provides formaldehyde and other chemical testing services from consumer products, building materials and indoor environments.

Cinnaminson, New Jersey, December 8, 2023 The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) recently proposed a new rule to ban formaldehyde and other formaldehyde-releasing chemicals, such as methylene glycol, as ingredients in hair smoothing or hair straightening products marketed in the United States.   According to the filing: These chemicals are used in certain cosmetic products that are applied to human hair as part of a combination of chemical and heating tool treatment intended to smooth or straighten the hair. Use of hair.......[Read More] [All News]

Contractors in Las Vegas Sentenced to Prison for Asbestos Violations

EMSL Analytical provides environmental, material and industrial hygiene testing services for asbestos and other regulated substances to protect the public, workers and to help keep companies in regulatory compliance.

Las Vegas, Nevada, December 7, 2023 Last month, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that two contractors were each sentenced to six months in prison for violating the Clean Air Act during the renovation of a Las Vegas warehouse into a marijuana growing facility. Both men had pleaded guilty earlier in the year to violating the Clean Air Act by releasing toxic asbestos fibers into the air during the project. According to the DOJ announcement: During the renovation, the defendants caused workers to remove drywall and ceiling texture.......[Read More] [All News]

Respiratory Protection Once Again Makes OSHA’s Top 10 List of Citations

EMSL Analytical provides personal protective equipment, including respirators, filters and fit testing supplies, along with gas detectors, air monitoring instruments and laboratory testing services to protect workers and help with compliance efforts.

Cinnaminson, New Jersey, December 6, 2023 The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently released its preliminary list of the 10 most frequently cited safety and health violations for the 2023 fiscal year. Respiratory protection made the top 10 list, dropping to seventh place from third place last year.   Workers in many industries are at risk of being exposed to airborne hazards. Some of these substances are known to cause cancer, lung impairment, allergies, asthma or other diseases. In fact, exposure to some.......[Read More] [All News]

Residential Indoor Air Quality Guidelines Proposed for Benzene in Canada

EMSL Analytical provides indoor air quality and industrial hygiene testing services and sampling supplies to identify and mitigate exposure risks to benzene and other chemicals.

Toronto, Ontario, November 29, 2023 Health Canada recently proposed residential indoor air quality (IAQ) guidelines for benzene. The agency describes benzene as a volatile organic compound (VOC) with a high vapor pressure that quickly evaporates into the air when released into the environment. This often leads to indoor concentrations of benzene that are generally higher than outdoor concentrations. Benzene is widely used in Canada and the United States. In the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports.......[Read More] [All News]

OSHA Launches New Initiative to Protect Workers from Silica Exposure

EMSL Analytical provides industrial hygiene testing services to identify crystalline silica and other respirable hazards to safeguard workers and to help companies comply with health and safety regulations.

Cinnaminson, New Jersey, November 28, 2023 In September, the U.S. Department of Labor announced that its Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) had launched a new initiative focused on enhancing enforcement and providing compliance assistance to protect workers involved with engineered stone fabrication and installation. Industries subject to the prioritized programmed inspections include those engaged in Cut Stone and Stone Product Manufacturing as well as Brick, Stone, and Related Construction Material Merchant.......[Read More] [All News]

Resources to Mitigate Combustible Dust Hazards in the Workplace

EMSL Analytical provides combustible dust testing services and air monitoring instruments to help companies maintain regulatory compliance.

Cinnaminson, New Jersey, November 27, 2023 Earlier this year, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a revised Combustible Dust National Emphasis Program (NEP). The purpose of the revised NEP was to continue OSHA inspections of facilities that generate or handle combustible dusts likely to cause fire, flash fire, deflagration, and explosion hazards. The revisions introduced a new approach for locating and inspecting subject establishments according to OSHA. Combustible materials can burn rapidly when in a finely.......[Read More] [All News]