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Back to Basics is a weekly feature that highlights important but possibly overlooked information that any EHS professional should know. This week, we examine OSHA’s respiratory protection requirements. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) respiratory protection standard (29 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) §1910.134) is one of its top 10 most-cited standards. In […]
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 […]
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) compliance officers typically arrive without advance notice, which is enough to raise alarm bells in the minds of many employers. You might know why they’re there. Or you might not have any idea. Whatever the situation, step one should be to ask yourself: Should I demand the inspector come […]
Today we’re getting answers from EHS Hero® experts on two questions related to fire safety and training, specifically in the use of hose stations, standpipes, and fire extinguishers. Read on to see what the experts had to say. Q: What are OSHA standards regarding hose stations and standpipes in facilities? Are employers required to train workers on […]
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 […]
Our experts at EHS Hero® recently received a subscriber-submitted question regarding OSHA regulations and how they apply to workers operating across multiple states. If a company’s headquarters are in a state covered by a State Plan, do those same regulations apply when employees are working beyond state lines? Read on to see what our experts had to […]
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published its long-awaited emergency temporary standard (ETS) and accompanying guidance, “Protecting Workers,” on June 10, 2021. The ETS applies to covered healthcare employers, while the guidance articulates best practices for all employers in providing a “safe and healthful workplace.” Like the emergency rules issued by the Michigan Occupational Safety and […]
On January 29, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued stronger workplace health and safety guidance for protecting employees from COVID-19 exposures. On January 21, President Joe Biden ordered OSHA to issue updated guidance within 2 weeks and consider establishing an emergency temporary standard (ETS) for workplace COVID-19 protections by March 15.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued respiratory protection guidance for assisted living, nursing home, and other long-term care facilities. The guidance focuses on the use of respirators while emphasizing a primary reliance upon engineering and administrative controls for controlling exposures, consistent with good industrial hygiene practice and the agency’s traditional adherence to the […]
Since the COVID-19 pandemic started, employers have struggled to understand the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) position on cloth face coverings and surgical masks, specifically whether the agency requires or recommends their use and whether they constitute personal protective equipment (PPE).