The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has withdrawn from its website—without public explanation—a controversial interpretation of its requirement to report in-patient hospitalizations of employees who contracted work-related cases of COVID-19.
Articles Discussing The Federal Occupational Safety And Health Act And Other Issues Relating To Workplace Safety And Health.
House Members Promoting Legislation to Compel MSHA to Issue Emergency Temporary Standard for Pandemic Safety
The Mine Safety and Health Administration (“MSHA”) has declined to issue an Emergency Temporary Standard (“ETS”) to address pandemic safety for miners. MSHA determined that issuance of an ETS was unnecessary for COVID-19 because MSHA’s existing health and safety standards allow MSHA to require mine operators to take action to
OSHA Publishes, Then Withdraws, A Broad Position on Reporting COVID-19 Hospitalizations and Fatalities
OSHA quietly updated its COVID-19 FAQs in mid-July to add guidance that took an extremely broad (and arguably unenforceable) interpretation of an employer’s responsibility to report COVID-19 hospitalizations and fatalities. Just as quietly, over the last weekend in July, it removed the updated Reporting FAQs. Now employers are left to
OSHA Finalizes Standard on Beryllium
With everyone focusing on the coronavirus (“COVID-19”) pandemic, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) has quietly moved forward with issuing a final rule on occupational exposures to beryllium and beryllium compounds (collectively “beryllium”). Having begun rulemaking in January 2017, the agency’s proposed beryllium standard has been in flux for
OSHA Publishes New FAQs on Reporting Hospitalizations and Fatalities Due to COVID-19
On July 15, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published a new interpretation of the hospitalization reporting requirement of 29 C.F.R. § 1904.39(b)(6), one that states that employers “must report the hospitalization within 24 hours of knowing both that the employee has been hospitalized and
Healthcare Employers Beware! OSHA Cracks The Whip And Issues Second Coronavirus Citation
Reports of increased deaths and hospitalizations of nursing home employees infected with COVID-19 have prompted unprecedented numbers of federal and state workplace safety inspections at healthcare facilities. Just this week, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued its second COVID-19-related citation to an Ohio healthcare company for $40,482. What do healthcare employers need to know about this July 21 development and what can you do to ensure your workplaces meet the necessary safety standards?
Greater Enforcement Coming? OSHA Issues Citations for Respirator Program Violations after Employees Were Hospitalized with COVID-19
In a new effort to use existing regulations to respond to the ongoing public health emergency, OSHA cited an Ohio healthcare company for alleged serious violations of OSHA’s respirator regulations. OSHA launched an investigation at three of the employer’s healthcare facilities after seven employees were hospitalized with COVID-19.
Even though
Who is Filing Coronavirus-Related OSHA Complaints?
The U.S. Department of Labor’s federally and state-administered Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) programs across the country receive complaints every day related to COVID-19. OSHA tracks all valid complaints and referrals received since February 1, 2020, with the N-16-COVID-19 additional code, and reports the data daily online at https://www.osha.gov/enforcement/covid-19-data.
Darra James Coleman on COVID Related OSHA Complaints
COVID-19 related complaints filed with OSHA are on the rise. Nexsen Pruet health care attorney Darra James Coleman offers guidance on what you need to know when facing an OSHA investigation in the video below.
OSHA Issues COVID-19 Guidance for the Oil and Gas Industry
On July 7, 2020, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued COVID-19 control and prevention guidance for oil and gas industry workers and employers. The guidance supplements OSHA’s interim guidance for the general workforce.
Judge Finds No Scientific Basis for NWS Heat Index Chart Used by OSHA in Heat Stress Cases
An administrative law judge of the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission held this week that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) had failed to show that a document the agency used to prosecute employers in heat stress cases—the National Weather Service’s heat index chart—has a scientific basis.
OSHA Issues COVID Related Guidance for the Oil & Gas Industry
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued COVID-19 guidance for workers and employers in the oil and gas industry. While this guidance is specifically geared to the oil and gas industry, the guidance is not unlike other best practices OSHA has recommended for other workers in general industry.
OSHA Issues Frequently Asked Questions as Employees Return to the Workplace
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently developed a COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) document to provide a central location for commonly asked questions concerning steps employers can take to keep workers safe as they return to work.
OSHA Issues Inspection Guidance for Enforcement of Respirable Crystalline Silica Standard
On June 25, 2020, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued Inspection Procedures for the Respirable Crystalline Silica Standards. The new procedures, 124 pages in length, went into effect immediately.
OSHA Enforcement Delays Can Get Citations Dismissed in Virginia
In Virginia, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) citations can get dismissed if the agency delays too long.
Virginia Occupational Safety and Health (VOSH) enforces occupational safety and health laws on behalf of OSHA in Virginia. VOSH covers most private employers in Virginia, as well as all state and local
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