Category: COVID-19

The COVID-19 outbreak is at top of mind for environment, health, and safety (EHS) professionals nationwide.

disinfectant

After COVID-19: Considerations for Reopening

With the number of COVID-19 cases beginning to level off in some areas, employers that have ceased operations or shifted to remote work may be considering when, and how, they might be able to bring people back to their facilities. While businesses are understandably eager to resume operations, the potential for missteps is high. Returning […]

N95 Respirator Decontamination: OSHA Weighs In

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued enforcement guidance allowing the decontamination and reuse of N95 respirators during the COVID-19 pandemic on a case-by-case basis. The interim guidance to the agency’s Compliance Safety and Health Officers (CSHOs) allows the reuse, in certain circumstances, of filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs) decontaminated using methods that have shown […]

COVID-19 coronavirus

EPA’s Science Board to Research COVID-19 Pandemic

The EPA has announced that its Science Advisory Board (SAB) will significantly ramp up its research into the human and environmental health impacts of the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that causes COVID-19.

Meat packing plant

CDC and OSHA Issue COVID-19 Guidelines for Meatpacking Industry

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) jointly issued interim guidance for meat- and poultry-processing facilities to protect workers during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Safety recordkeeping and reporting

Read the Transcript of Our Podcast with Sheryl Corrigan of Koch Industries

In our most recent episode of EHS on Tap, we spoke with Sheryl Corrigan, the director of environment, health, and safety (EHS) for Koch Industries, Inc. In addition to talking about her career path, she provided some keen insights into how she manages a multinational EHS program, and how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed her […]

Safety management systems

EHS on Tap: E54 Sheryl Corrigan of Koch Industries Talks EHS, Ethics, and COVID-19

Every environment, health, and safety professional knows that leading an EHS team can be daunting, requiring you to spread your attention across many different business areas simultaneously. Now, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced us to dramatically change how we work, and EHS professionals have had to react to those shifts to ensure they meet their […]

CPR

American Heart Association Issues COVID-19 CPR Guidelines

The American Heart Association (AHA) issued interim cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) guidelines that apply during the COVID-19 pandemic. The AHA recommended bystanders and lay rescuers administer “hands only” CPR without mouth-to-mouth ventilation to limit exposures to the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19.

healthcare safety

COVID-19: National Safety Council Launches SAFER Task Force

As the U.S. prepares to reopen, the nation’s leading safety advocate announces a multifaceted effort to help employers create safe workplaces in a post-coronavirus world. On April 23, the National Safety Council announced SAFER: Safe Actions for Employee Returns, a comprehensive effort to guide employers through the process of safely resuming traditional work and operations […]

OSHA regs and enforcement concept

OSHA Refocuses COVID-19-Related Enforcement Efforts

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released an interim response plan refocusing enforcement resources to handle coronavirus-related complaints, referrals, and severe illness reports.

Oregon

COVID-19: Oregon OSHA Ramps Up Enforcement of Pandemic Precautions

Oregon OSHA will begin systematically conducting spot-checks to verify that employers are complying with requirements aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19. State workplace safety and health officials announced they are ramping up enforcement activity in response to a spike in complaints from workers who feel at risk of infectious disease exposure during the COVID-19 […]