Before becoming ReMA’s Senior Director of Safety, Jerry Sjogren was the safety director at EL Harvey and Sons. As he built trust among employees, they began coming to him with major life problems and mental health concerns. “I listened and tried to do what I could, but I knew we needed outside services to assist…
Mental health becomes a safety issue when it shows up at the job, and therefore it’s important to recognize and deal with it early. Small steps like adjusting workload, speaking up, and using available resources can stop problems before they turn into injuries. May is recognized as Mental Health Month through Mental Health America (MHA)….
May is National Electrical Safety Month, spearheaded by the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI), which works to reduce fires, fatalities, injuries, and property loss related to electrical mishaps and negligence. ESFI and ReMA have partnered on resources to promote lithium-ion battery recycling and educate the public on how to purchase, use, and recycle these batteries…
During the week of April 20, 2026, industry leaders, safety professionals, and federal officials gathered in Washington, D.C. for the OSHA Workers Memorial Safety Summit. The Recycled Materials Association’s (ReMA) Safety Outreach Manager, Holly Brownell, attended the event to engage with OSHA staff, brainstorm future programming, and exchange insights. These types of opportunities put ReMA…
Though 2026 is just a few months old, ReMA’s Safety Team has hit the ground running by rolling out a new fire safety resource page for members. Through funding provided by OSHA as part of the Susan Harwood Training Grant Program, ReMA developed a series of training videos to support safety education in the recycled materials industry, with a particular focus…
From April 13 – 16 2026, ReMA2026 – The Show, Powered by ReMatter is taking over Mandalay Bay and bringing together professionals in the recycled materials industry. To give attendees a sneak peek of what’s to come during the convention, ReMA News is presenting a series featuring ReMA leaders, members, speakers, and exhibitors discussing aspects…
On Monday, December 8, 2025, ReMA’s Board of Directors adopted the Position and Guidance on Propulsion Battery End-of-Life Management. The rapid adoption of hybrid and electric vehicles (EVs) presents both significant opportunities and challenges. How do you safely and sustainably manage the growing volume of large-format batteries that power these vehicles once they reach end-of-life…
Most drivers want to work at a carrier that pays a decent wage, provides a safe and secure environment, and is compassionate. Many carriers are good at marketing the first of these when recruiting drivers but tend to not market the others. Do you have good and safe equipment? Driver frustration with vehicles and maintenance…
From Monday, November 10 to Wednesday, November 12, recycling operations managers, safety leaders, and executives traveled to Louisville, Kentucky for the ReMA Operations & Safety Forum. The immersive three-day event focused on best practices, compliance, and safety across the recycled materials industry. Mike Marino, ReMA’s Vice President of Safety, opened the 2025 forum with an…
Trucks cause a significant number of deaths and injuries in backing accidents, with the National Safety Council (NSC) estimating 500 deaths and 15,000 injuries annually from general backing accidents. While specific data on only truck backing incidents is limited, large commercial vehicles are more prone to these accidents due to larger blind spots and difficulty…
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is due to release NFPA 800, a Provisional Standard (PS) for the Battery Safety Code, over the coming months, and ReMA intends to submit consolidated industry comments during the public input period. To do this effectively, ReMA needs informed feedback from leaders across its membership. Recycling is addressed as…
Battery fires have become a growing concern across the recycled materials industry. Fortunately, a range of industrial fire prevention and protection systems, both high-tech and traditional, are available to help recyclers mitigate this risk. ReMA has conducted an in-depth review of various fire prevention and protection systems offered by different companies and will highlight each…