Regulatory
REGULATORY NEWS FOR WEEK OF APRIL 28, 2020
Canadian Federal News
On the National Day of Mourning, April 28, Canadians will pay tribute to workers who have died, were injured, or made ill from their work. It is also a day on which to renew our commitment to preventing future workplace tragedies. This year, the Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) acknowledges the sacrifices of frontline and essential workers who have died or become ill serving during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) has made the decision to cancel this year’s North American Inspectors Championship (NAIC) due to health and safety concerns associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. This cancellation was made in conjunction with the cancellation of the American Trucking Associations’ (ATA) National Truck Driving Championships (NTDC) and National Step Van Driving Championships (NSVDC).
The 2020 CVSA Data Management, Quality and FMCSA Systems Training was also scheduled to take place simultaneously with NAIC this year. That event has been rescheduled for Jan. 27-29, 2021, in Savannah, Georgia, in conjunction with CVSA’s Cooperative Hazardous Materials Enforcement Development (COHMED) Conference.
Updates to transportation related measures taken by Transport Canada in response to the evolving novel Coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
An official announcement is now posted on the NPRI website. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the reporting deadline for 2019 NPRI data is postponed to July 31, 2020.
This Order supports Canada’s continued focus on reducing the introduction and further spread of COVID-19 by decreasing the risk of importing cases from outside the country. The updated Order addresses newly emerging public health science on COVID-19 that indicates that even asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic individuals can spread the disease. The Order builds on the previous requirements, but now has additional stringent measures to reduce the spread by persons who do not have symptoms on arrival at the border. In this sense, the Order requires all persons who enter Canada to be placed into one of two categories: asymptomatic versus symptomatic.
The quarantine (self-isolation) period for asymptomatic persons will be reset if they develop signs and symptoms of COVID-19, or were exposed to COVID-19 from another person subject to this Order, within the 14-day period. Regulations supporting this order were published in the Canada Gazette II on Friday April 24th, 2020 and are available here.
Health Canada has published a non-exhaustive list of rheology modifiers that can be used in high concentration alcohol based hand sanitizers. Please contact Dave Saucier if you have any products that could qualify for addition to the list – [email protected].
The Minister of Health has signed an Interim Order to help prevent and alleviate shortages—of drugs, medical devices, and foods for a special dietary purpose―resulting directly or indirectly from the COVID-19 pandemic. The provision allows products that are not approved in Canada to be imported and sold in Canada effective immediately, subject to certain requirements.
Health Canada’s Food Directorate completed a premarket safety assessment of a food additive submission seeking approval for the use of phospholipase from Aspergillus oryzae AT969 in bread, flour, whole wheat flour and unstandardized bakery products. The results of the premarket assessment support the safety of phospholipase from A. oryzae AT969 for its requested uses. Consequently, Health Canada has enabled the use of phospholipase from A. oryzae AT969 described in the information document by modifying the List of Permitted Food Enzymes, effective April 15, 2020.
Canadian Provincial News
In response to COVID-19, COR audits have been simplified and limited to documentation-only (no interviews or observation). Documentation-only audits will be accepted for certification, recertification and maintenance purposes, and will be eligible for PIR refunds from the WCB. Employers who are certified or recertified with this process will receive a one-year COR. This process will be in place from March 17 to December 31, 2020.
To help meet the demand for hand sanitizer brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, some distilleries, breweries, and wineries have started manufacturing hand sanitizer for the first time.
This Emergency Order extension includes the closure of outdoor amenities in parks and recreational areas, non-essential workplaces, public places and bars and restaurants, along with restrictions on social gatherings and limiting staff from working in more than one retirement home or long-term care home. Public schools to remain closed until the end of May.
Please consult this update on the guidance being issued by the government of New Brunswick. Owners and managers of all workplaces, including government, must take every reasonable step to ensure minimal interaction of people within 2 metres of each other, and must comply with all advice to minimize risk as issued by the Chief Medical Officer of Health.
US News
The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PMHSA) issued a notice of enforcement discretion for the transportation of sanitizing and disinfecting materials to be used in protecting the health and safety of employees. Transportation companies that are essential to the nation’s economy have a need to continue to provide enough cleansing necessities, including hand sanitizers or disinfectant spray, to provide for the protection of their employees at locations that do not have ready access to soap and water. As such, PHMSA’s enforcement discretion applies to the transport of these materials to locations, such as sorting facilities and loading and unloading facilities, where they will be used by employees that directly support the transportation operations of the carrier. Additionally, enforcement discretion is limited to transportation by highway motor vehicle.
WASHINGTON (April 27, 2020) – Although the 2020 GlobalChem Conference & Exhibition was cancelled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the American Chemistry Council (ACC) is committed to engaging its GlobalChem audience in a meaningful and impactful way during these difficult times. ACC holds GlobalChem to a high standard as the premier forum for information sharing in the chemicals management arena, and the efforts made in shaping the 2020 conference have reinforced ACC’s vision of providing a program with a high level of value for the industry.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it is advising eight technology companies that unscrupulous dealers are using their platforms to sell illegal disinfectant products.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is issuing significant new use rules (SNURs) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) for chemical substances which are the subject of premanufacture notices (PMNs). This action requires persons to notify EPA least 90 days before commencing manufacture (defined by statute to include import) or processing of any of these chemical substances for an activity that is designated as a significant new use by this rule. The required notification initiates EPA’s evaluation of the intended use within the applicable review period. Persons may not commence manufacture or processing for the significant new use until EPA has conducted a review of the notice, made an appropriate determination on the notice, and has taken such actions as are required as a result of that determination. DATES: This rule is effective on June 22, 2020. For purposes of judicial review, this rule shall be promulgated at 1 p.m. (e.s.t.) on May 7, 2020.
International News
The European Commission has granted authorisations for pentazinc chromate octahydroxide (EC 256-418-0, CAS 49663-84-5) for two uses to Boeing Distribution, Inc. and Finalin GmbH, with a review period expiry date on 22 January 2026.
Officials recently finished a compliance-monitoring activity that revealed some new chemical notifiers were unable to readily produce the records to prove they were meeting their post-assessment obligations.
Other Relevant Information
Safety Share
(McGill – OSS) Slowly, piece by piece, like a jigsaw puzzle, physicians and researchers are assembling a picture of the disease that we have come to know as “COVID-19.” And it is not a pretty picture. The virus that has wreaked havoc with the health of people around the world is a multitalented criminal. It can do its dirty work in many ways.
(Ontario WSPS) Many of us have recently received the direction to work from home. In some cases, the news was a simple “grab and go” situation, grabbing your laptop and heading home. Some people may be lucky enough to have equipment that can help with a temporary home office set-up, such as a mouse, external keyboard, or monitor. Either way, how can we get comfortable using everyday household objects and basic ergonomic principles? Although the couch may be tempting, try these recommendations instead to set up your temporary home workspace:
- Select a chair that will provide an appropriate amount of support throughout the day. If you’re stuck with a hard kitchen chair, try sitting on a pillow or cushion for comfort and a place a rolled-up towel behind your lower back for lumbar support.
- Be sure your thighs are parallel with the ground while seated; this may require a footstool so your legs aren’t hanging. A yoga block or some large books could be used if a footstool is not available.
- Maintain a neutral wrist posture by choosing a work surface that is not too tall or too short. Ideally, you want to keep your wrists straight while typing and using your mouse. Avoid resting your wrists on the edge of the surface, as this can create discomfort in the forearms and hands. If your chair has arms, place your keyboard and mouse at the edge of the work surface so you can rest your forearms on the chair arms.
- If you’re using a laptop rather than a desktop computer, maintain a neutral neck posture by tilting the monitor upward. This provides a better angle to view the screen and reduces neck flexion.
- Investing in a standard keyboard and mouse can really help reduce negative postures associated with long-term laptop use. Just plug the tools into your laptop and raise the laptop so the screen is in line with your line of sight.
- Don’t feel restricted to a single working position. The beauty of working from home is that you can access many different working areas, such as sitting on a recliner with a tray, or standing at your countertop. Frequently changing positions throughout the day is a great way to relax tense muscles, keep your blood flowing and give your body a break.
NFPA – Only time will tell if the challenges and opportunities that surfaced during these dark days will, in fact, be applied or ignored in the years ahead.
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