By Adam R. Young, A. Scott Hecker, Patrick D. Joyce, Brent I. Clark, and Craig B. Simonsen
Seyfarth Synopsis: Powered Industrial Trucks (forklifts) are the focus of a new OSHA Regional Emphasis Program (REP). The program covers Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota—the federal-OSHA states in Region 8.
As we noted in a previous blog
Continue Reading OSHA Continues to Target Employers who Utilize Powered Industrial Vehicles with New Regional Emphasis ProgramBy: Adam R. Young, Daniel R. Birnbaum, A. Scott Hecker, and Craig B. Simonsen
Seyfarth Synopsis: Recent data continues to show material disparities in serious injury and fatality rates among employees of differing races or ethnicities, with African-Americans and Hispanics showing considerably higher rates.
The National Safety Council has published its Injury Facts® report tracking
Continue Reading Fatality Rates from Occupational Safety and Health Hazards Higher Among MinoritiesBy James L. Curtis, Adam R. Young, and Craig B. Simonsen
Seyfarth Synopsis: With a larger base of compliance officers, OSHA has significantly increased its ability to conduct on-site inspections and reorient its enforcement strategies.
OSHA’s budget was essentially flat during the Trump Administration. As health care costs increased and compliance safety and health officers retired, OSHA struggled
Continue Reading OSHA Significantly Increases the Number of Investigators
By James L. Curtis, Adam R. Young, Mark A. Lies, II, Daniel R. Birnbaum, Patrick D. Joyce, Brent I. Clark, and Craig B. Simonsen
Seyfarth Synopsis: OSHA is beginning to review work related stress as a workplace hazard falling under its jurisdiction.
OSHA, citing a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention July 2018
Continue Reading OSHA Highlights Stress and Mental Health in the Workplace
By Ilana Morady, Patrick D. Joyce, Coby Turner, Liz Watson and Juan Rehl-Garcia
Seyfarth Synopsis: Two big changes are on the horizon for California employers:
(1) changes to the COVID-19 general exposure notification requirements and (2) a proposed “permanent” Cal/OSHA COVID-19 standard to take effect January 1, 2023-2025.
The fall season signals change between the
Continue Reading Changes Coming to CA COVID-19 RequirementsBy James L. Curtis, Adam R. Young, Patrick D. Joyce, and Craig B. Simonsen
Seyfarth Synopsis: The National Safety Council (NSC) released an update to its annual list of OSHA’s top-ten cited standards. The list provides a starting point for employers to review their own safety programs on an annual basis.
Patrick Kapust, deputy director of
Continue Reading Another Year In The Books – OSHA’s Top Ten Safety Violations for Fiscal Year 2022By Hoorya Ahmad and Patrick Joyce
Seyfarth Synopsis: Washington State’s COVID-19 emergency declaration expires October 31, 2022 but the Health Emergency Labor Standards Act (HELSA) administered by the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I), and codified at WAC 296-62-602 to -609, will remain in place for the time being.
HELSA is triggered by
Continue Reading Washington’s COVID-19 Emergency Declaration Expires October 31, 2022 — Employers Must Continue to Follow HELSA Notice & Reporting RequirementsBy Adam R. Young, James L. Curtis, Patrick D. Joyce, and Craig B. Simonsen
Seyfarth Synopsis: With Hurricane Ian drenching the Gulf Coast, Florida, and the Atlantic coastal states, employers are facing daunting emergencies, safety and health risks, property damage, employee disruption, and re-building.
This blog contains an updated primer on (1) preparing for an emergency;
Continue Reading The Rain is Coming Again: Disaster Preparedness, Recovery, and Employee Safety During Hurricane Season
By Adam R. Young, A. Scott Hecker, Patrick D. Joyce, Brent I. Clark, James L. Curtis, and Craig B. Simonsen
Seyfarth Synopsis: While completing the healthcare COVID-19 standard continues to be the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s top rulemaking priority, Doug Parker, U.S. DOL’s Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health, told
Continue Reading OSHA Healthcare COVID-19 Rule Takes Priority over Heat Illness, Workplace Violence
By Adam R. Young, A. Scott Hecker, Patrick D. Joyce, James L. Curtis, and Craig B. Simonsen
Seyfarth Synopsis: OSHA’s Region III issued a Regional Emphasis Program (REP) instruction (CPL 2022-01 (CPL 4)) for Warehousing Operations, that went into effect on August 3, 2022 and “establishes policies and strategies to be followed when
Continue Reading Warehousing and Logistics: New OSHA Emphasis Program Brings Promise of Aggressive Enforcement