By A. Scott HeckerAdam R. YoungPatrick D. JoyceJames L. CurtisDaniel R. Birnbaum and Craig B. Simonsen

Seyfarth Synopsis: OSHA announced enhanced enforcement and oversight efforts following an “alarming rise” in trenching fatalities, intended to draw attention to construction worker safety and present issues and solutions. Current OSHA enforcement guidelines require inspectors

Continue Reading As Fatality Numbers Skyrocket, OSHA Scrutinizes Trenching and Excavation Hazards with Redoubled Enforcement

By James L. CurtisBrent I. ClarkBenjamin D. BriggsMark A. Lies, Jeryl L. Olson, Patrick D. Joyce, Adam R. Young, A. Scott Hecker, and Craig B. Simonsen

Seyfarth Synopsis: The U.S. DOL and U.S. EPA have published their 2023 increases to civil penalties.

We have blogged previously about the annual

Continue Reading More Big Money: OSHA and EPA Civil Penalties Increase for 2023

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 A. Scott HeckerAdam R. Young, Patrick D. JoyceJames L. Curtis, and Craig B. Simonsen

Seyfarth Synopsis: On December 7, 2022, OSHA submitted its permanent “Occupational Exposure to COVID-19 in Healthcare Settings” standard to the White House Office of Management and Budget’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (“OIRA”) for final review.

As we blogged

Continue Reading COVID-19 Healthcare Permanent Standard Remains Under White House Review

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

Seyfarth Synopsis: On December 7, 2022, OSHA submitted its “Occupational Exposure to COVID-19 in Healthcare Settings” standard to the White House Office of Management and Budget’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (“OIRA”) for final review.

OSHA published a flowchart

Continue Reading Doctor, Doctor, Give Me the News: OSHA Moving Forward with COVID-19 Healthcare Permanent Standard

By Adam R. YoungA. Scott HeckerPatrick D. JoyceJames L. Curtis, and Craig B. Simonsen

Seyfarth Synopsis: OSHA requires employers to upload certain information to its Injury Tracking Application (ITA) each year by March 2. This year, OSHA is transitioning employer login information from individual accounts to “login.gov” and all employers must connect their

Continue Reading Employers Must Update Injury Tracking Application (ITA) Account and Submit OSHA Form 300A Summaries Through Login.gov

By Adam R. YoungA. Scott HeckerPatrick D. JoyceBrent 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 Program

By James L. CurtisAdam 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. CurtisAdam R. YoungMark A. Lies, II, Daniel R. Birnbaum, Patrick D. JoyceBrent 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 James L. CurtisAdam R. YoungPatrick 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 2022