By Adam R. Young, Daniel R. Birnbaum, James L. Curtis, and Craig B. Simonsen
Seyfarth Synopsis: The continuing proliferation of accidents involving carbon monoxide have drawn the attention of OSHA and NIOSH, which have issued regulations and recent press releases on the issue.
Approximately 400 Americans die each year from carbon monoxide poisoning, which can overcome an
Continue Reading Carbon Monoxide (CO) – Deadly Gas Continues to Menace Winter Workplaces
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 WorkplaceBy Brent I. Clark, James L. Curtis, and Craig B. Simonsen
Seyfarth Synopsis: The Federal Railroad Administration’s new Safety Advisory seeks to cover activities that fall outside the scope of FRA safety regulations, but within the purview of the OSHA regulations.
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has just issued its Safety Advisory 2016–02 (November 28, 2016). The
Continue Reading FRA/OSHA Safety Advisory – Identification and Mitigation of Hazards Through Job Safety Briefings and Hazard Recognition Strategies
By James L. Curtis and Craig B. Simonsen
OSHA recently announced its Campaign to Prevent Heat Illness in Outdoor Workers to remind employers and employees of the hazards of heat illness.
As OSHA states “thousands of employees become sick each year and many die from working in the heat. In 2012, there were 31 heat-related worker deaths and 4,120 heat-related
Continue Reading “Water. Rest. Shade.” OSHA Campaign to Prevent Heat Illness in Outdoor Workers
Seyfarth Shaw OSHA practice partner Meagan Newman was quoted recently in an IndustryWeek article discussing workplace violence.
“Every employer should be thinking about the potential for workplace violence and what steps they might take to prevent or address it.” Newman cites to a case where a Texas convenience store in 2012 had a robbery that resulted in the death
Continue Reading Operations: Review Workplace Violence Procedures, For Safety’s Sake
By Brent I. Clark and Meagan Newman
In a recent decision, affirming Administrative Law Judge Phillips’ order vacating a general duty clause citation, the Review Commission held that manufacturer instructions–even where coupled with an industry standard–were insufficient proof of hazard recognition as needed to sustain a general duty clause violation. The Review Commission focused on the issue of industry
Continue Reading Review Commission Says Manufacturer Recommendations and Consensus Standard Not Enough for General Duty Clause Violation
By Brent I. Clark and Craig B. Simonsen
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recently issued a hazard alert on hydraulic fracturing operations intended to protect workers from silica exposure. According to the OSHA press release the action was taken after consultation with stakeholders and that it also
Continue Reading Occupational Hazard Alert for Fracking Operations