Practical EHS Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Like you, we had hoped COVID-19-related issues would have waned by now and we could all move forward with a return to “normal.” Not so fast, apparently, as the disease’s delta variant has surged, and tensions between the pro- and antivaccination contingents have heightened. More employers are taking charge of the coronavirus narrative at work, […]
Having spent months on end in multiple lockdowns, many workers around the world are now starting to make a gradual return to the office and restoring a sense of day-to-day normalcy back into their lives. However, while this is an incredibly exciting transition for a lot of people, the coronavirus pandemic hasn’t exactly gone away. […]
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 […]
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, safety has been a priority for everyone more than ever before. For Brittanie Buckley, her safety intuition has guided her in the field which she has leveraged to help prevent injuries on worksites for 25 years. In this “Faces of EHS,” Buckley, EHS Manager for Pratt & Whitney Military Engines Aerospace, […]
With businesses reopening this summer after extended periods because of COVID-19, special attention must be paid to properly retraining workers in safety procedures and how to deal with the extreme heat much of the country has experienced. Mark Lies, partner at Seyfarth Shaw LLP, says the onus is on employers to ensure their workers are […]
In March, OSHA issued its Updated Interim Enforcement Response Plan for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). The updates extend existing OSHA protections for workplace safety whistleblowers, explicitly stating those protections apply to those who report COVID-19 related violations at the workplace by creating a National Emphasis Program (NEP). Higher Risk Industries In addition, the memo also classifies […]
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 […]
The U.S. Department of Labor has announced funding opportunities for more than $21 million in Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) training grants for nonprofit organizations. The first availability will provide $10 million under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021 for Workplace Safety and Health Training on Infectious Diseases, including the Coronavirus grants. To be eligible […]
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 […]