By A. Scott Hecker, Adam R. Young, Patrick D. Joyce, James 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 HazardsBy Benjamin D. Briggs, Patrick D. Joyce, and Craig B. Simonsen
Seyfarth Synopsis: CDC explains that the shutdown or reduced operation of a building and reductions in normal water use can create hazards for returning occupants. It recommends in its updated Guidance for Reopening Buildings that building owner-operators check for hazards before reopening. Hazards may include lead
Continue Reading CDC Issues Updated Guidance for Reopening Buildings After Prolonged Shutdown or Reduced Operation Due to COVID-19
By James L. Curtis, Mark A. Lies, II, Adam R. Young, Ilana R. Morady, and Craig B. Simonsen
Seyfarth Synopsis: The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued a standard interpretation cautioning employers on the use of headphones to listen to music on a construction site.
Many employers permit the use of headphones
Continue Reading OSHA Standard Interpretation Repeats Vague Warnings on Employee Use of Headphones in the Workplace
By James L. Curtis, Daniel R. Birnbaum, and Craig B. Simonsen
Seyfarth Synopsis: Employers should prepare for the holiday shopping season and protect their employees from harm and injuries.
As the holiday shopping season approaches, we are again reminding retail and hospitality employers of the importance of taking safety precautions during the holiday season’s major sales events,
Continue Reading OSHA Guidelines for Retailers on Holiday Shopping and Crowd Management Safety
By James L. Curtis, Daniel R. Birnbaum, and Craig B. Simonsen
Seyfarth Synopsis: Employers should prepare for the holiday shopping season and protect their employees from harm and injuries.
As the holiday shopping season approaches, OSHA has previously reminded retail and hospitality employers of the importance of taking safety precautions during the holiday season’s major sales events,
Continue Reading OSHA Guidelines for Retailers on Holiday Shopping and Crowd Management Safety
By Brent I. Clark, Ilana R. Morady, and Craig B. Simonsen
Seyfarth Synopsis: MSHA just announced a Request for Information (RFI) on safety improvement technologies for mobile equipment and for belt conveyors, both at surface mines. 83 Fed. Reg. 29716 (June 26, 2018).
In its RFI MSHA notes that “mining safety could be substantially improved by preventing
Continue Reading MSHA Issues RFI for Safety Improvement Technologies and Belt Conveyors
By Brent I. Clark, Ilana R. Morady, and Craig B. Simonsen
Seyfarth Synopsis: MSHA just announced its Final Rule on Examinations of Working Places in Metal and Nonmetal Mines. 83 Fed. Reg. 15055 (April 9, 2018).
The Final Rule, which will be effective on June 2, 2018, requires that:
By Benjamin D. Briggs, Brent I. Clark, Patrick D. Joyce, and Craig B. Simonsen
Seyfarth Synopsis: Keep your holidays happy and safe. At this time of year, with all of the joy, parties, and excitement the season brings, employers need to be especially vigilant to keep and maintain a safe workplace environment for employees and customers
Continue Reading Have Yourself a Safe, Undistracted, and Accident Free Holiday
By Benjamin D. Briggs, Adam R. Young, and Craig B. Simonsen
Seyfarth Synopsis: In a challenge brought by trade associations for the farm supply and fertilizer industries, the D.C. Circuit vacates OSHA memorandum narrowing the retail exemption from the PSM standard.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit recently ruled against OSHA on
Continue Reading DC Circuit Finds OSHA “Interpretation” Narrowing Retail Exemption Under the Process Safety Management Standard Really a “Standard” Subject to Rulemaking Process
By James L. Curtis and Craig B. Simonsen
Seyfarth Synopsis: In this recent case a Federal Magistrate Judge finds that OSHA has gone too far in expanding an incident inspection into a wall-to-wall inspection.
A District Court Magistrate Judge recently recommended that the Court quash a warrant “improvidently granted” to OSHA to expand an accident investigation into a broader
Continue Reading Federal Magistrate Finds OSHA Warrant to Expand Incident Inspection “Improvidently Granted”