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September 5, 2012
Illinois Imposes Tougher Safety Measures on Perc Dry Cleaners

CHICAGO — New law mandates improved control/containment, better training, more comprehensive reporting

CHICAGO — Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn has signed a new law to impose tougher safety measures on the use of perchloroethylene (perc) by the state’s dry cleaners. House Bill 4526 requires Illinois dry cleaners to utilize “best management practices” while using the solvent.

The legislation includes improved control and containment systems, better training, and more comprehensive reporting, the governor’s office says.

The law will require all new dry cleaning machines operating in Illinois, beginning in 2013, to have “primary and secondary” control systems to reduce the concentration of perc, and to have sealed containment structures to contain leaks or spills by 2014.

“If improperly handled, dry cleaning solvents can seep into our groundwater and skies, and pose a threat to workers,” Quinn says. “This new law will help protect our drinking water, and we salute the dry cleaning industry — and especially the Korean American Drycleaners Association — for partnering with environmental advocates to get this done.”

July 11, 2012
Tips for Meeting New HazCom Requirements

CINCINNATI — How to successfully integrate new hazcom system in your dry cleaning operation

CINCINNATI — Cintas Corp., a provider of first aid and safety products, has released its top tips for businesses impacted by the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) requirements for chemical classification and labeling. The new system will require millions of businesses and employees nationwide to be retrained on hazard communication.

“Hazardous-chemical information needs to be communicated to any employee who is exposed to or works with chemicals—even bleach,” says John Amann, vice president, First Aid & Safety, Cintas. “With GHS affecting over 5 million businesses, it is important that all employees are trained and understand the upcoming changes to chemical safety so businesses can keep workers safe and maintain OSHA compliance.”

The top tips for transitioning to GHS include:

UPDATE YOUR WRITTEN SAFETY PROGRAM

Anytime a safety standard is created or updated, written programs must be changed to include guidelines for complying with the regulation. Update your written program to incorporate GHS in all of your current hazard communication protocols.

June 18, 2010
Laundry CEO Organizes Towel-Collection Drive for Gulf Spill Clean-Up

Note: Revised 6/30/2010 to Correct Area Code

David Gross, CEO of Gulf Coast Laundry Services in Gulfport, Miss., is coordinating an effort to get much-needed towels to wildlife agencies racing to save birds, turtles, dolphins and other animals affected by the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Government officials on Tuesday raised the estimate of the amount of oil spewing into the Gulf to 35,000 to 60,000 barrels per day.

June 14, 2010
Industry Successful in Changing Sprinkler Guidelines

COUNTRY CLUB HILLS, Ill. — A group of drycleaning industry organizations, including the Drycleaning & Laundry Institute (DLI), TCATA, R.R. Street and others, succeeded in changing International Code Council (ICC) fire code guidelines for Class III drycleaning plants.

April 4, 2008
How Do I Process Firefighter Turnout Gear?

Q: A smaller fire station near me asked if I could clean their turnout gear on an as-needed basis. Do you have any washing guidelines for turnout gear?

A: Turnout gear, which is used by firefighters and other emergency workers, must be processed in accordance with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards. These standards not only ensure that the gear will not be damaged by processing, they also deal with specific guidelines for decontamination and other maintenance issues.

December 18, 2007
Employer Pays for Protective Equipment, OSHA Says

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Occupational Safety & Health Administration recently published a final rule clarifying who pays for personal protective equipment (PPE) required in the workplace.

Most of the PPE devices covered in the rule are already the employer’s responsibility, OSHA says, including hard hats, gloves, goggles, safety shoes, safety glasses, welding helmets and goggles, chemical protective equipment, and more. However, employers now must provide necessary protective equipment at no cost to the employee.