By Adam R. YoungJames L. Curtis, and Craig B. Simonsen

Seyfarth Synopsis: OSHA announced last week a notice of proposed rulemaking to revise the personal protective equipment standard for the construction industry. A revised standard will clarify that personal protective equipment (PPE) must fit each affected employee properly, to protect them from occupational hazards.

For the

Continue Reading OSHA to Require Better-Fitting PPE in Construction

By Brent I. ClarkPatrick D. JoyceAdam R. YoungA. Scott HeckerDaniel R. Birnbaum, and Melissa A. Ortega

Seyfarth Synopsis: This week we are attending the ABA Workplace and Occupational Safety and Health Law Committee Midwinter Meeting in San Diego, California. The meeting includes representatives from the U.S. Department of Labor, including

Continue Reading Report From Day 3 of The 2023 ABA OSHA/MSHA Law Conference

By A. Scott HeckerAdam R. YoungPatrick D. JoyceJames L. Curtis, and Craig B. Simonsen

Seyfarth Synopsis: On its website, OSHA is highlighting the hazards of working in winter weather and providing resources for employers to help protect their workers. 

Employers must remember that weather-based hazards exist not only in the heat and humidity

Continue Reading From Snowmageddon to Snowpocalypse: OSHA Highlights Potential Winter Weather Hazards

By David Malter, CIH, CSP, CPEA, ROH (Guest Author), Adam R. Young, Mark A. Lies, and Craig B. Simonsen

Seyfarth Synopsis: In a new journal article from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and the Bacterial Special Pathogens Branch, researchers have identified specific cases of  a deadly
Continue Reading Welder’s Anthrax: Newly Identified Health Hazard Among Employees Exposed to Welding Fumes

By Benjamin D. BriggsAdam R. Young, and Craig B. Simonsen

Seyfarth Synopsis: A new report from the National Safety Council (NSC), State of the Response: Employer Actions to Address the Pandemic, provides an overview of how employers have been responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The NSC survey sought to understand which COVID-19-related safety practices were
Continue Reading NSC Publishes Benchmarking Report on COVID-19 Safety Practices Implemented in Business and Industry

By Adam R. Young and Meagan Newman

iStock_000026199854_MediumOn June 1, 2015, federal OSHA released an Interpretation Letter requiring that employers train employees on the laundering requirements of fire retarding (FR) and arc-rated clothing.

The question, submitted to OSHA by the United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters, sought OSHA’s enforcement position on the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Standard, 29 C.F.R. §
Continue Reading OSHA Says You Should Train Employees on How to Do Their Laundry

By Mark A. Lies II and Ilana R. Morady

As most employers are aware, OSHA inspections typically involve a request for the employer to produce certain documents. In many cases, employers are unsure of what documents the compliance officer is entitled to see and copy. Employers can also be unsure of how long to retain certain documents required under OSHA.
Continue Reading OSHA-Related Documents: Creation And Retention

By Brent I. Clark and Meagan Newman

OSHA’s request for enterprise-wide relief was denied in a recent ALJ ruling.  This new decision is the first to deny a request from OSHA to extend the employer’s obligation to abate alleged violations at locations other than those cited. Enterprise-wide relief has been a part of OSHA’s more aggressive enforcement posture in recent
Continue Reading OSHA’s Request for Enterprise-wide Relief Denied by First Court to Rule on the Issue

Our associate, Steve Shardonofsky, looks at a pending Supreme Court case in his recent blog that concerns the use of personal protective clothing and equipment (PPE) required by OSHA regulations. Steve concludes that “because it is not always clear what personal protective clothing or equipment is required by OSHA regulations, employers may want to consider any Fair Labor Standards

Continue Reading Hanging Its Opinion On The “Clothes” Line: Organized Labor Weighs In On The Donning/Doffing Debate