By Adam R. YoungMelissa A. Ortega, and Craig B. Simonsen

Seyfarth Synopsis: OSHA has put out a reminder to employers on winter weather Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) requirements on how to design an effective PPE program. Employers must provide PPE, to protect workers’ safety, and health.

As winter returns and brings with it cold temperatures, ice

Continue Reading ‘Tis the Season: OSHA Reminds Employers to Keep Employees Safe in the Cold

By Adam R. YoungA. Scott HeckerPatrick D. JoyceDaniel R. Birnbaum and Craig B. Simonsen

Seyfarth Synopsis: Here we go again. The impending federal government shutdown may suspend many enforcement and consultation functions of the United States Department of Labor, including OSHA.

The federal government is currently funded through November 17, 2023. If Congress does

Continue Reading Federal Government Shutdown Would Significantly Impact United States Department of Labor Enforcement Activities, OSHA Cases

By  Daniel R. Birnbaum, Adam R. Young, and Craig B. Simonsen

Image from OSHA.

Seyfarth Synopsis: OSHA has recently highlighted tractor operator safety by increasing use of rollbars or cage frames.

Employers use tractors to clear winter snows.  As snow season approaches, OSHA warns that many older tractors are in use that are not equipped with rollover

Continue Reading As Snow Season Approaches, OSHA Focuses On Rollover Protection For Tractor Operators

By Ilana MoradyBrian B. GillisClara RademacherPatrick D. Joyce, and Bradley Doucette

Seyfarth Synopsis: Senate Bill 553, signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom, requires nearly all employers in the State of California to prepare a Workplace Violence Prevention Plan, train employees on how to identify and avoid workplace violence, and maintain

Continue Reading Workplace Violence Prevention Plans Required For California Employers by July 2024

By Adam R. Young, A. Scott Hecker, and Craig B. Simonsen

Seyfarth Synopsis: The U.S. Department of Labor recently announced that OSHA has launched a new initiative focused on enhancing enforcement and providing compliance assistance to protect workers from the hazards of silica.

Exposure to crystalline silica dust above recognized permissible exposure limits can result in severe lung disease, including

Continue Reading Federal OSHA Announces Inspection Initiative Focusing on Crystalline Silica in the Stone Fabrication Industry

By James L. Curtis, Brent I. ClarkAdam R. YoungA. Scott HeckerPatrick D. Joyce, Benjamin D. Briggs, Mark A. LiesDaniel R. Birnbaum, and Craig B. Simonsen

Seyfarth Synopsis The U.S. Department of Labor recently announced that OSHA has issued a heat hazard alert to “remind employers of their

Continue Reading OSHA Issues Heat Hazard Alert Reminding Employers to Protect Workers Against Heat Illness and Injury – States are Following Suit

By A. Scott HeckerAdam R. YoungPatrick D. JoyceBenjamin D. Briggs, James L. Curtis, Daniel R. Birnbaum, and Craig B. Simonsen

Seyfarth Synopsis: OSHA this week announced a national emphasis program (“NEP”) to prevent workplace hazards in warehouses, processing facilities distribution centers, and high-risk retail establishments.

According to OSHA,

[i]n the

Continue Reading OSHA Announces National Emphasis Program Aimed at Reducing and Preventing Workplace Hazards in Warehouses and Distribution Centers

By Adam R. Young and Mark A. Lies II

With the Biden Administration’s aggressive new generation of OSHA compliance officers and enforcement objectives, employers would be wise to develop a written program that incorporates all best practices for inspection management.  Attached is a link to an article outlining best practices for employers when faced with handling an OSHA inspection. 

Follow

Continue Reading Be Ready to Defend the Castle: Seyfarth Legal Update Guides Employers on How to Implement an Effective OSHA Inspection Management Policy

By A. Scott HeckerAdam R. YoungPatrick D. JoyceBenjamin D. Briggs, and Craig B. Simonsen

Seyfarth Synopsis: A Small Business Advocacy Review Panel for a potential OSHA standard to address Prevention of Workplace Violence in the Healthcare and Social Assistance sectors concluded on May 1, 2023. The Final Report is available here

Continue Reading Small Business Panel has Big Recommendations for Potential OSHA Workplace Violence Prevention Standard

By A. Scott HeckerAdam R. YoungPatrick D. JoyceMark A. LiesJames L. Curtis, Daniel R. Birnbaum, and Craig B. Simonsen

Seyfarth Synopsis: OSHA has just announced a National Emphasis Program to prevent falls, the leading cause of fatal workplace injuries and the violation the agency cites most frequently in construction

Continue Reading OSHA Announces a National Emphasis Program to Reduce and Prevent Workplace Falls