If there is one thing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is known for, it would have to be regulations. Over the last several years, virtually no agency in the U.S. federal government has been more prolific in administering rules and regulations than the EPA. And people wonder why the economy is in such a slow recovery?

However, every so often the EPA will fire out a new regulation that actually has work safety in mind, and every almost accidentally one of those rules can actually prove useful without a huge impact to the bottom line.

[Image courtesy of Flickr user thom gill via a Creative Commons license]

[Image courtesy of Flickr user thom gill via a Creative Commons license]

One of those regulations has to do with formaldehyde, and recently the EPA finalized a rule about how to effectively handle the toxic material. Professional Safety magazine reported on it in a recent issue.

If you don’t know, formaldehyde is more common than just in mortuaries or science laboratories. In the case of the EPA rule that was just finalized, formaldehyde regulations are essentialy keyed on the use of the cehmical in wood finishing and finished wood products.

Formaldehyde vapors can be present around finished wood such as plywood, fiberboard and particleboard., as well as domestic or imported products made from these materials – building materials, flooring, cabinetry and furniture. Excessive exposure to formaldehyde vapors without proper ventilation (which means those who work in these manufacturer workshops and in showrooms) can cause cancer, respiratory problems or irritation of the eyes, nose and/or throat.

Now, just to be forewarned – the new rule is supposedly based on a standard that is required by the state of California. Your perspective about California regulations and rules for businesses may be all over the spectrum, so I will not comment on this other than you should know this going in and therefore be prepared to understand how this is going to work.

The good news is, you have until the fourth quarter of 2017 to come into compliance. The basis of the new rule is that all wood products that are made, sold, imported or supplied in the United States must have a label indicating compliance with TSCA Title VI. This rle, according to the EPA, will make for a more consistent standard around the country and mandate those materials which were not subject to the California standard would now essentially have to be in order to have a presence anywhere in the U.S.

There is a link you can visit to learn more about this new rule and the standard of compliance that is sought – not to mention read up on whether the labeling has to be accurate. (In other words, does the wood actually have to meet the standard to have the label, or does the label just have to be present regardless of actual compliance?)

Formal is the key word with EPA regulations. Fortunately, that word is prevalent in formaldehyde – so it all works out.