Pennsylvania Bans PFAS in Firefighting Foam, Citing Risks to Responders
- Pennsylvania Senate Bill 804, signed into law Oct. 22 bans per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in firefighting foam. Cancer is now the top cause of line-of-duty deaths among firefighters, in part because of PFAS exposure, according to the advocacy group PennEnvironment.
- The law bans the manufacture, sale and distribution of PFAS-containing class B firefighting foam starting July 1, 2027, and its use starting Jan. 1, 2028.
- It also requires warning labels on firefighter personal protective equipment that contains PFAS.
- PFAS exposure has been linked to kidney and liver disease, immune system suppression, birth defects and cancer. A recent PennEnvironment report found PFAS in 96% of rivers and streams tested statewide. The bill was sponsored by a bipartisan group of state senators and representatives.
Picatinny Arsenal Logistics Readiness Center Earns OSHA VPP Star Status
- The 404th Army Field Support Brigade’s Logistics Readiness Center at Picatinny Arsenal, N.J., earned “Star” status in the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Voluntary Protection Programs, the program’s highest level.
- The Star designation goes to worksites with exemplary safety and health management systems and injury and illness rates significantly below national averages compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Earning it took a multi-year effort to integrate safety protocols into everyday workflows for the LRC’s warehousing, materiel management, equipment maintenance and transportation support work.
- OSHA specialists evaluated the LRC through a facility walkthrough, documentation and metrics reviews, and employee and management interviews. Star participants are reevaluated every three to five years to keep the status.
- LRC Director Brandon Weston said the status reflects teamwork between management and employees to stop accidents before they happen.
Electrical Panel Explosion Burns Worker at Walmart Store
- A worker suffered burns across his body Sunday, Oct. 25, when an electrical panel exploded in an electrical room behind a Walmart in Fort Myers, Florida.
- The worker, who said he was working on the panel when it exploded, was designated a trauma alert and airlifted to Bradenton for treatment. His current condition has not been released.
- The store was evacuated before sheriff’s deputies arrived, and deputies checked to make sure everyone had exited. Florida Power & Light responded and recommended the business stay closed for the rest of Sunday night.
- The cause of the explosion has not been confirmed.