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The COVID-19 outbreak is at top of mind for environment, health, and safety (EHS) professionals nationwide.
The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) encouraged the state’s employers and workers to follow recently updated guidance from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) recommending that all individuals wear face coverings while indoors regardless of COVID-19 vaccination status. In California, masks are recommended for everyone in indoor settings and required for […]
On episode 75 of EHS on Tap, Devjani H. Mishra, an attorney with Littler, talks about how employers should manage COVID-19 concerns such as vaccinations and masking.
An Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) COVID-19 emergency temporary standard (ETS) went into effect in early June 2021, and compliance with most of the provisions was required by July 6. The final set of provisions (pertaining to training, ventilation, and barriers) wasn’t mandated until July 21. With some exceptions, the ETS applies to all […]
Washington State has adopted the Health Emergency Labor Standards Act (HELSA), a sweeping worker protection bill passed by the state legislature. The Act amends the state’s workers’ compensation and industrial health and safety statutes to provide automatic protections for certain workers and to impose new notification and reporting requirements on employers in the event of a public […]
The Nevada Legislature recently passed Senate Bill (SB) 209 requiring employers to give employees paid time off (PTO) to receive a COVID-19 vaccination. Here’s how the new law works and what you will need to know. Key Facts About New Nevada Law Who’s covered. SB 209 applies to all private employers with 50 or more employees in Nevada. It doesn’t apply […]
The AIHA (formerly the American Industrial Hygiene Association) announced the release of revised Back to Work Safety (BTWS) Guidelines. Updates to the revised guidelines include alignment with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) new recommendations regarding vaccinated individuals; the hierarchy of health and safety controls; and references to current scientific evidence indicating that […]
Recent federal inspections looking for COVID-19 hazards in the workplace are on the rise in southern states, but have declined in the Northeast and Midwest, according to a Bloomberg Law review of recent Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) data. OSHA conducted more inspections in most southern states, including Texas and Louisiana, from May 1 […]
The list of employers and government agencies requiring employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 is growing, and such requirements are generally legal under federal law. But employers need to be clear about when exceptions must be made and how state laws can add a wrinkle to their vaccination policies. Major employers across the country have […]
On July 27, AIHA (formerly the American Industrial Hygiene Association) revealed concerns about the federal COVID-19 emergency temporary standard (ETS) in a 13-page letter to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). AIHA urged the agency to closely examine and immediately revise the emergency rule’s provisions dealing with ventilation, physical barriers, and transmission by inhalation […]
On episode 72 of EHS on Tap, Bob Greene, senior human resource industry analyst at Ascentis, talks about what employers can expect from the updated OSHA inspection process.