Practical EHS Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
The COVID-19 outbreak is at top of mind for environment, health, and safety (EHS) professionals nationwide.
On January 13, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a stay of the COVID-19 vaccine-or-test emergency temporary standard (ETS) issued on November 5, 2021, by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The rule would require employers with 100 or more employees to implement a program of COVID-19 vaccination or regular testing and face coverings to […]
The U.S. Supreme Court’s rejection of a major part of the Biden administration’s plan to boost the vaccination of workers against COVID-19 means many large employers can stand down on their plans to comply with a rule requiring the shots or testing, but they are free to institute their own mandates as long as such […]
The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) has revised requirements for employee isolation and quarantine covered in an update to the frequently asked questions (FAQs) on its COVID-19 prevention emergency temporary standards (ETSs). Isolation requirements apply to employees who have tested positive for COVID-19, and quarantine requirements apply to employees who have been […]
At press time, the country waits for the U.S. Supreme Court to decide the fate of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS), which would create a COVID-19 vaccine or testing requirement in the workplace for large employers. The court heard oral arguments about the ETS on Friday, Jan. 7, and […]
On January 7, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments concerning the COVID-19 vaccine-or-test emergency temporary standard (ETS) issued in November by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Petitioners, which include business groups and several states, want a federal injunction to block OSHA from implementing and enforcing the emergency rule. OSHA earlier announced plans […]
The New York State Department of Labor (NYS DOL) issued a proposed regulation, authorized by the New York Health and Essential Rights Act (NY HERO Act), requiring private sector employers with 10 or more employees to establish joint employee-employer safety committees. The HERO Act, signed into law May 5, 2021, authorized the NYS DOL to […]
A federal appeals court lifted a judicial stay on the emergency temporary standard (ETS) requiring employee COVID-19 vaccination or weekly testing, and the U.S. Supreme Court is hearing arguments January 7, 2022, about staying or striking down the rule. Will you be ready if the Supreme Court leaves the rule in place? The Occupational Safety […]
The California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board December 16 readopted the state’s COVID-19 prevention emergency temporary standard (ETS), with revisions. The revised ETS incorporates the latest recommendations from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). The readopted state ETS does not contain the vaccine-or-testing requirements of the November 5 federal ETS, which was under […]
On September 9, President Biden introduced his plan for dealing with COVID-19 in the upcoming months. Since then, court challenges and political opposition have made it difficult for the plan to move forward. A team of legal experts discussed this new plan in depth last month in a webinar. What is the Biden plan? The president’s plan, called the Path Out of the […]
A federal appeals court December 17 lifted a stay on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) emergency temporary standard (ETS) requiring large employers to implement a program of COVID-19 vaccination for employees or coordinate weekly testing. OSHA will not issue citations for noncompliance with any requirements of the ETS before January 10, 2022, the […]