By Brent I. Clark, Mark A. Lies, II, Benjamin D. Briggs, James L. Curtis, A. Scott Hecker, Patrick D. Joyce, and Adam R. Young
Seyfarth Synopsis: As the prospects of a likely Biden administration develop a key question becomes what should employers expect from OSHA under Biden? A COVID-19
By Benjamin D. Briggs, Ilana R. Morady, and Patrick D. Joyce
Seyfarth Synopsis: Last month we blogged about the Cal/OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board’s unanimous vote for a COVID-19 temporary emergency standard and a permanent infectious diseases standard. Cal/OSHA was tasked with drafting proposed text for the temporary emergency standard
By Benjamin D. Briggs, Patrick D. Joyce, and Craig B. Simonsen
Seyfarth Synopsis: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated its original recommendation for all people to wear cloth face coverings when in public and around other people, now acknowledging that face coverings not only protect others, but also
By A. Scott Hecker, Brent I. Clark, Patrick D. Joyce, and Adam R. Young
Seyfarth Synopsis: Oregon OSHA finalized its COVID-19 temporary rule, OAR 437-001-0744, Addressing COVID-19 Workplace Risks, on November 6, 2020, with most provisions effective as of November 16, 2020; the rule sunsets on May 4, 2021. The temporary
By Benjamin D. Briggs, Adam 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
By James L. Curtis, Matthew A. Sloan, and Craig B. Simonsen
Seyfarth Synopsis: The 15-day statutory deadline to contest federal OSHA citations has been the subject of recent litigation in the 5th and 11th Circuits and before the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. In those cases, after having their contests to
By A. Scott Hecker, Brent I. Clark, and Patrick D. Joyce
Seyfarth Synopsis: Michigan OSHA (MIOSHA) enacted COVID-19 emergency rules on October 14, 2020, less than two weeks after the Michigan Supreme Court’s October 2 ruling invalidated many of Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s COVID-19 executive orders.
At the direction of Governor Whitmer, MIOSHA
By Brent I. Clark, Benjamin D. Briggs, Adam R. Young, Patrick D. Joyce, and Craig B. Simonsen
Seyfarth Synopsis: The CDC continues to expand its guidance on the potential routes of COVID-19 transmission, changing its definition of “close contact” of 15 minutes or more within 6 feet, to now mean
By Brent I. Clark, Patrick D. Joyce, and Craig B. Simonsen
Seyfarth Synopsis: The Michigan Supreme Court recently ruled that Michigan Governor Whitmer lacked the authority to declare a “state of emergency” or a “state of disaster” beyond April 30, 2020, and that the authority delegated to the Governor under the Emergency
By Benjamin D. Briggs, Patrick D. Joyce, Ilana R. Morady, and Craig B. Simonsen
Seyfarth Synopsis: On September 17, 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic continued, Cal/OSHA’s Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board voted unanimously to draft a COVID-19 temporary emergency standard and a permanent infectious disease standard, with a deadline for