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How is it that President Joe Biden can order the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to establish an emergency rule that requires employers to vaccinate all their employees or test them for COVID-19? Is this normal? How does OSHA even have that kind of authority? Like much since the COVID-19 pandemic was first declared […]
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 […]
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 June 28, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued an enforcement directive for its COVID-19 emergency temporary standard (ETS), which only applies to healthcare and healthcare support services employers. The directive includes exemptions from inspection and enforcement under the ETS for a number of tasks and facilities, such as: Provision of first aid […]
As reported in last week’s update, the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board recently adopted the Division of Occupational Safety and Health’s (Cal/OSHA) COVID-19 emergency temporary standard (ETS) regulation. On the same day as Cal/OSHA’s update, California Governor Gavin Newsom also signed Executive Order (EO) N-09-21, bypassing the standard 10-day approval period and allowing […]
Except when required during outbreaks, California workers no longer need to wear face coverings outside, and fully vaccinated workers do not need to wear them indoors. However, workers are explicitly allowed to wear a face covering without fear of retaliation from employers. California workplaces have new emergency temporary standards (ETSs) for exposures to COVID-19. The […]
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) emergency temporary standard (ETS), which applies only to employers of healthcare and healthcare support services employees who potentially are exposed to COVID-19, became effective June 21 (86 FR 32376). Covered employers must comply with most provisions of the ETS by July 6 and with the physical barriers, ventilation, […]
On June 10, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced it will issue an emergency temporary standard (ETS) to protect healthcare workers from COVID-19 exposures. The standard focuses on healthcare workers most likely to have contact with someone infected with the virus—primarily in hospital ambulatory care settings—but there are exemptions for healthcare providers that […]
On June 3, the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board readopted revised COVID-19 prevention emergency temporary standards (ETSs) proposed May 28 by the Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA). The revised ETS phases out physical distancing requirements and makes other adjustments to the rules.
On April 22, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited and fined a Naperville, Illinois, logistics center following an outbreak of COVID-19 in which one worker died. The agency is seeking $12,288 in fines for a serious violation of the General Duty Clause.