MONKEYPOX GUIDANCE FOR HIGH RISK ESTABLISHMENTS

Nevada OSHA has provided guidance for high-risk establishments regarding Monkeypox including information references, duties and recommendations for businesses. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified healthcare professionals,laboratory personnel,veterinarians, and similar professions as being at a higher risk of exposure.

Employers are expected to monitor working conditions at any location where their employees are performing work, to identify hazards that are causing or are likely to cause harm to their employees, and to implement effective methods to control those hazards.

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GUIDANCE ON R069-20 RELATED TO EMERGENCY EYEWASH STATIONS

Nevada OSHA adopted regulation R069-20 which included an adoption by reference of ANSI Z358.1-2014 for Emergency Eyewash and Shower Equipment. This regulation became effective April 11, 2022. Prior to this regulation, Nevada OSHA primarily cited non-compliance with emergency eye wash and shower equipment requirements under 29 CFR 1910.151(c) which states:
 
“Where the eyes or body of any person may be exposed to injurious corrosive materials, suitable facilities for quick drenching or flushing of the eyes and body shall be provided within the work area for immediate emergency use.”
 
By adopting ANSI Z358.1-2014, Nevada OSHA has identified the minimum design and installation criteria necessary to meet the definition of suitable facilities which is otherwise undefined in federal statute. Additionally, training requirements have been introduced as part of this adoption.

SCATS is here to answer questions and provide onsite training or consultation for your business. Please call 877-472-3368 or visit our website to submit a consultation request.

Information website can be found here

Click here for specific information on ASME A17.3 in Nevada

Link and website information provided by:

Joan Finlay
Department of Business & Industry
Division of Mechanical Compliance Section
3360 W Sahara Avenue
Las Vegas, NV 89102
Jfinlay@dir.nv.gov

The State of Nevada DBI/DIR Mechanical Compliance Section has released:

Notice of Hearing for the Adoption of Regulations of the Division of Industrial Relations, Department of Business and Industry November 1, 2022, at 2:00 p.m.

LCB File No. R034-21,

You are hereby given notice that the Division of Industrial Relations of the Department of Business and Industry, State of Nevada (Division) will conduct a public hearing on proposed permanent regulations amending Chapter 455C of the Nevada Administrative Code (NAC).

The public hearing on these proposed regulations will be conducted by Webex on November 1, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. There is no physical location for this virtual meeting, as allowed by Nevada’s Open Meeting Law, NRS Chapter 241. Members of the public may attend and participate in this meeting in the following ways:

Webex Access https://nvbusinessandindustry.webex.com/nvbusinessandindustry/j.php?MTID=ma8a59b038108 50f9c4ecf4bef4e05570 Meeting number (access code): 2455 559 4526 

Meeting number (access code): 2455 559 4526
Meeting password: PTcPS23vqM7 

Tap to join from a mobile device (attendees only): +1-415-655-0001,,24555594526## US toll

Join by phone: +1-415-655-0001 US Toll

Join from a video system or application: Dial 24555594526@nvbusinessandindustry.webex.com You can also dial 173.243.2.68 and enter your meeting number

Need help? Go to https://help.webex.com/  

See Official Notice Here

NOTICE OF PUBLIC WORKSHOP TO SOLICIT COMMENTS
ON PROPOSED REGULATIONS
LCB File No. R034-21
September 13, 2022 at 11:00 a.m.

(THIS IS NOT A NOTICE OF INTENT TO ACT ON A REGULATION) 

You are hereby given notice that the Division of Industrial Relations of the Department of Business and Industry, State of Nevada (“Division”) will conduct a public workshop on proposed permanent regulations amending Chapter 455C of the Nevada Administrative Code (“NAC”) commencing at 11:00 a.m. on September 13, 2022. This meeting will be held via a Webex meeting only. Webex allows for video and teleconferencing. Any person planning to participate in the meeting must participate by using the Webex Access information immediately below. 

Webex Access https://nvbusinessandindustry.webex.com/nvbusinessandindustry/j.php?MTID=m534d21ee1f56f cea17f4c7b1959da519

Meeting number (access code): 2461 783 2058
Meeting password: NpPK6CwzH84

Tap to join from a mobile device (attendees only) +1-415-655-0001, 24617832058## US Toll

Join by phone +1-415-655-0001 US Toll Access code: 2461 783 2058

Need help? Go to http://help.webex.com/

Click here to see the official notice in its entirety

From: Technical Inspection Agency USA Inc.  

Code A17.3 2020 was adopted by the State of Nevada in August of 2021 and is now enforcing some big changes to elevator inspections.  

• Units installed before 2000 - will likely need to update the elevator control system to meet the safety requirements
• Units installed between 2000 and 2009 - will likely need to complete a software update and potentially a hardware update to be compliant unless they have been modernized.  
• Controllers installed or modernized after July 1, 2009, may already be partially compliant and may require installation of additional hardware or software installed.  This will need to be confirmed by the elevator contractor.
• Elevator installed or modernized after January 2, 2015, may be equipped to be made fully compliant but may need new hardware or software installed.  This also should be confirmed by the elevator contractor.  
• If the controller cannot be adapted with the hardware or software upgrades, a modernization may be required.  

Elevators without door lock monitoring will be considered non-compliant.  

Click here to see additional information 

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently issued a press release on enhanced enforcement initiatives it is launching in response to an alarming rise in trench-related fatalities. In 2022’s first six months, 22 workers have fallen victim to the deadly hazards present in trenching and excavation work – surpassing 15 in all of 2021.  

In keeping with its National Emphasis Program for excavations, OSHA compliance officers will perform more than 1,000 trench inspections nationwide where they may stop by, and inspect, any excavation site during their daily duties. Please visit the link below to learn more about how this affects you and what you can do to ensure employee safety.

Nevada SCATS is offering an Excavation Regulatory Review class on August 5th which will be available online. You can register for the class here.

For the past two decades, the Colorado River—which supplies 90 percent of Southern Nevada’s water—has been mired in a drought of historical severity. While anyone who has been to Lake Mead can attest to the visual impact, the “bathtub ring” alone doesn’t convey the seriousness of the situation. Since 2000, reservoir storage along the river, primarily in Lakes Mead and Powell, has diminished by approximately nine trillion gallons and is now at about one-third capacity.

Recognizing this potential crisis early, the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA), the not-for-profit regional agency responsible for managing the community’s water supply, began enacting measures to both safeguard supply and reduce consumptive use. The key word here is “consumptive.” The Las Vegas Valley is unique in its ability to capture and recover indoor water; in fact, approximately 99 percent of indoor water is reclaimed, treated and returned to the Colorado River system. Every gallon returned allows SNWA to take another gallon out of the lake, sustainably extending the community’s water supply

For this reason, the SNWA has consistently focused on reducing outdoor uses, which cannot be recaptured. Beginning in 2003, SNWA implemented a comprehensive conservation program, including limitations on installing grass in new developments, golf course water budgets and seasonal watering restrictions to prevent overirrigation. The SNWA has also paid out more than $200 million in incentives for residents and businesses to replace thirsty lawns with drip-irrigated landscapes that provide equal or superior aesthetic value while using about 75 percent less water.

As a result, the Las Vegas Valley used about 26 billion gallons less water last year than it did back in 2002, despite the influx of thousands of new businesses and nearly a million new residents during that span. Curiously, there is a stark disparity in support for water conservation between businesses and the residents that represent their customer and employee base. Over the past two decades, residents have removed about two-thirds of their non-functional grass. Businesses, on the other hand, have replaced less than 30 percent of theirs, despite it having no business or recreational value whatsoever.

This inaction also holds true for evaporative cooling. For approximately 20 years SNWA has offered generous incentives for businesses to convert water-guzzling evaporative cooling systems to mechanical air conditioning systems. Over those many years, fewer than 100 properties have chosen to participate.

Unlike grass, evaporative cooling is an invisible water supply drain that represents the second-largest consumptive use of water in Southern Nevada. Evaporative cooling comes in two forms:  cooling towers, like those found on some of the region’s largest buildings, and direct evaporative (swamp) coolers, which dot the rooftops of the vast majority of warehouse/industrial buildings and virtually every restaurant in the valley.

Late last year, the SNWA Board of Directors passed a resolution proposing a moratorium on evaporative cooling systems in Southern Nevada, applying only to new construction. Existing systems would not be subject to mandatory retrofits, although the SNWA offers an incentive of up to 50 percent of the replacement system cost for those who choose to do so. Numerous business groups have provided input on this proposed restriction, and their comments are welcomed and valuable. It’s recognized that mechanically cooled structures are subject to insulation requirements that don’t apply to evaporatively cooled buildings, and that dry-cooled systems use more electricity than their wet-cooled counterparts.

Industry professionals with expertise in this area are encouraged to share their perspective, which will help inform policy decisions. It is important to the SNWA to arrive at a solution that protects our community’s water supply while minimizing impacts to commercial interests. However, residents have been bearing the burden for nearly two decades and it’s time for the business sector to share the load and include water conservation into their decision-making process.

The SNWA invested more than $1 billion in a Low Lake Level Intake and Pumping Station at Lake Mead to safeguard our community’s critical water needs, even under severe drought conditions. As a result, Southern Nevada is the most water-secure community in the desert Southwest. Our ability to continue to expand economically is limited only by the consumptive uses of new homes and businesses; therefore, extending Southern Nevada’s water supply serves the interests of all. By embedding water efficiency in new construction through non-evaporative cooling technologies, Southern Nevada’s commercial sectors are investing in their own future.

To submit comments related to the proposed evaporative cooling moratorium for new construction or learn more about the SNWA’s cooling-related cash incentives, email jc.davis@snwa.com.

GUIDANCE FOR NEVADAN BUSINESSES RELATED TO THE HEAT ILLNESS NATIONAL EMPHASIS PROGRAM

On April 12, 2022, Federal OSHA announced the launch of a National Emphasis Program (NEP) to protect millions of workers from heat illness and injuries. Nevada OSHA is adopting the NEP in a modified form to reflect local factors. It will be effective on June 15, 2022, to give businesses time to prepare. Nevada OSHA will proactively initiate inspections in over 70 high-risk industries prescribed by Federal OSHA and additional industries identified by Nevada OSHA. 

SCATS can review and make recommendations on best practices and implementation of an employer’s heat illness protocols. If your business has questions or needs onsite training or consultation, please call 877-472- 3368 or submit a consultation request at https://www.4safenv.state.nv.us/contact/.

To view the full guidance, visit the link below. 

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CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL GUIDANCE

Wildfire smoke is known to regularly blanket broad regions of Nevada. The presence of smoke from wildfires directly impacts both indoor and outdoor air quality in regions where smoke is present. Wildfire smoke is composed of small particles suspended in the air that present a health hazard for workers exposed to it. Businesses can take proactive steps to mitigate the effects of wildfire smoke and meet their general duty to protect their employees. 

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