Tag: OSHA

October 25, 2021

The rule implementing President Joe Biden’s order for employers with at least 100 employees to mandate COVID-19 vaccination or weekly testing is likely to be released soon, prompting many employers to begin preparations. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration sent […]

October 25, 2021

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) might take over workplace safety enforcement in three states the agency said failed to adopt adequate COVID-19 standards for health care workers. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Act covers most private employers […]

October 13, 2021

Businesses with at least 100 employees may soon receive direction on an anticipated COVID-19 workplace vaccination and testing mandate from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). On Oct. 12, the agency sent its emergency temporary standard (ETS) to the […]

October 12, 2021

Leaders in some states are considering measures that would require employers to accept negative COVID-19 tests or proof of natural immunity as an alternative to vaccination requirements. On Oct. 11, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued a broad executive order banning […]

October 7, 2021

Despite rising COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations driven by the delta variant, executive leaders are pushing toward a post-pandemic return-to-work model that puts employees in the office at least two days a week. HR and IT/security professionals have been feeling squeezed […]

September 28, 2021

The season may have changed to fall, but the punishing summer heat can be expected to linger longer in many places around the country. Plus, indoor workplaces often pose heat risks year-round. That’s why the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health […]

September 21, 2021

Extreme heat kills more Americans than any other climate-related hazard, and workers’ rights groups and public health officials have long pushed for a federal worker safety rule, according to Politico. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh said in the release that increasingly […]

June 22, 2021

Fully vaccinated workers in California are no longer required to wear masks in many circumstances, according to the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health’s (Cal/OSHA’s) latest revisions to COVID-19 safety rules. But some restrictions remain in place, particularly for […]

May 24, 2021

In an unexpected turn of events, the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board announced that it will not move to adopt the proposed revisions to the existing Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS). Instead, the Deputy Chief of Cal/OSHA […]

May 21, 2021

On March 21, 2021, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published a national emphasis program (NEP) to focus its enforcement efforts on preventing employees from contracting COVID-19 and protecting those who report unsafe working conditions. In general, an NEP […]

May 14, 2021

Fully vaccinated people can ditch their masks, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Thursday. Does this mean workers can go barefaced? Not necessarily. The CDC’s directive came with a series of caveats, and there are several more factors […]

May 13, 2021

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued COVID-19 guidance for industries that have an increased potential of employee exposure to the coronavirus. A new standard is also working its way through the approval process and may be […]

May 11, 2021

On May 5, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health—known as Cal/OSHA—issued much-awaited FAQs, which provide clarity on whether employers must continue to exclude fully vaccinated employees from the workplace if they were exposed to a confirmed positive COVID-19 […]

July 10, 2020

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently released guidance to assist nonessential businesses as they reopen and return employees to the workplace. OSHA is charged with ensuring employers provide safe and healthful workplaces for their employees by setting […]

May 6, 2020

On Friday, May 1, in a series of industry-specific guidance on COVID-19 safety measures, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a number of recommendations for employers in the restaurant and food and beverage industries. The guidelines largely mirror […]

April 20, 2020

As employers begin looking beyond the immediate effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and start thinking of bringing people back to work, they will be wise to realize the new virus means permanent changes related to their obligation to provide a […]

November 22, 2019

Many times, when employers receive an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) citation—if not most times—they claim it wasn’t their fault, but rather the employee did something stupid. OSHA recognizes such a defense, called the “employee misconduct” defense. It is […]

August 5, 2019

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) publishes a yearly list of the top 10 most frequent workplace safety violations. “[I]f all employers simply corrected the top 10 hazards, we are confident the number of deaths, amputations and hospitalizations would […]

December 5, 2018

Many organizations have wellness programs aimed at getting their employees healthy. But what about the air at work? Today we are going to take a detailed look at how indoor air quality is regulated. The federal government has long recognized […]

December 12, 2016

On May 25, 2016 I published a blog post called OSHA establishes publication rules to “nudge” employers. Well the time has come for that rule to be effective. On January 1, 2017 the “nudging” becomes a big push. Are you […]