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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 Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) teamed up with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to revise a workplace safety handbook for small business employers. The Small Business Safety and Health Handbook details how to implement an effective safety and health program, including self-inspection checklists for employers to identify workplace hazards […]
A California lawmaker joined a group of worker safety advocates at a press conference Wednesday to call for the federal government to issue an emergency temporary heat safety standard. “Our workers need help now,” said U.S. Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.). “We call on the Department of Labor to act swiftly to add protections for workers […]
Two regional offices of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) launched regional emphasis programs (REP) to enforce the agency’s permit-required confined spaces standard (29 CFR §1910.146) in the transportation and tank-cleaning industries. OSHA’s Region 5 office (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin) initiated an REP effective August 2, and the agency’s Region 6 […]
Once again, wildfires are a huge problem in the U.S. According to the National Interagency Fire Center, seven new large fires were reported on Sunday, which brings the national total to 91 large fires that have burned 1.8 million acres. Businesses shouldn’t wait for a wildfire to occur before putting in place an evacuation plan, […]
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) plans to issue proposals for new infectious disease exposure, communication tower safety, and tree care industry standards, according to a Department of Labor (DOL) notice published July 30 (86 FR 41242). OSHA also plans rulemaking action in the coming year to address emergency response safety, process safety management […]
With parts of the country suffering record-breaking temperatures this summer, employers know they need to be on guard against heat dangers for both indoor and outdoor workers. At some point, however, those precautions may be formalized into a new standard from the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Currently, OSHA deals with heat dangers […]
Back to Basics is a new weekly feature that highlights important but possibly overlooked information that any EHS professional should know. This week, we examine falls in construction and how to prevent them. Falls are a major safety issue in any industry, but especially in construction, where they are the leading cause of death. According […]
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 […]
As the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise in the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) this week recommended that fully vaccinated people wear masks indoors in substantial or high-transmission areas. This is an about turn from the agency’s May guidance, which said it was safe for fully vaccinated people to […]