Seyfarth Synopsis: The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) have published their 2025 increases to civil penalties.
We have blogged previously about the annual adjustments to the maximum civil penalty dollar amounts for OSHA and EPA violations. The agencies have now finalized the 2024 inflation adjustments, which increase the
Seyfarth Synopsis: Ongoing wildfires in Southern California trigger Cal/OSHA regulations that require employers to train and protect employees from wildfire smoke. The regulation applies to most outdoor workplaces, requiring employers to provide N95 respirators at certain AQI trigger levels, effective communication, and training on wildfire smoke hazards.
Devastating and fast-moving wildfires have destroyed thousands of
Seyfarth Synopsis: Continuing its assault on commonly used chemicals that pose risks to human health, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (“USEPA”) issued (but has not yet published in the Federal Register) bans on Trichloroethylene (“TCE” or “Tri”) and Perchloroethylene (“PCE” or “Perc”) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (“TSCA”). The bans were first proposed
Seyfarth Synopsis: With another dramatic reversal from a pro-labor Democratic administration to a second Trump administration, we anticipate that OSHA is likely to pivot away from its current enforcement-heavy agenda to a greater emphasis on cooperation with the business community.
As we try to anticipate the shifts of a second Trump administration, supported by a
By Adam R. Young, Patrick D. Joyce, A. Scott Hecker, and Craig B. Simonsen
Seyfarth Synopsis: OSHA recently unveiled an online tool allowing the public to access severe injury reports, injury trends over time, geographic trends, and trends specific to each employer.
OSHA’s new Severe Injury Report dashboard allows the public to search
By Daniel R. Birnbaum, Ilana R. Morady, Benjamin D. Briggs, and Patrick D. Joyce
Seyfarth Synopsis: Following California’s Workplace Violence Prevention Plan regulation becoming effective, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (“Cal/OSHA”) recently published its draft Workplace Violence Prevention regulation. It is seeking public comments by September 3, 2024, with
By Patrick D. Joyce and Ilana Morady
Seyfarth Synopsis: A new rulemaking is underway at the California Department of Industrial Relations that will allow Cal/OSHA to cite employers for “enterprise-wide and egregious” violations, implementing a 2021 law signed by Governor Newsom. Cal/OSHA will convene an advisory committee on August 19, 2024 to solicit input.
Background
By Patrick D. Joyce, Ilana Morady, and Daniel R. Birnbaum
Seyfarth Synopsis: On July 24, 2024, Cal/OSHA’s indoor heat rule was approved by the Office of Administrative Law (OAL) and filed with the Secretary of State (SOS), rendering the rule effective immediately.
If you’ve been following our postings, you know that last month
By Bernard Olshansky and Patrick D. Joyce
Seyfarth Synopsis: Expanding a law enacted in 2022, New York’s legislature passed another bill that seeks to limit warehouse-related injuries by requiring employers to establish and implement an injury reduction program, evaluate certain jobs for ergonomic injury risks, correct risk factors, and provide injury reduction training.
Background: New York
By Jacob Roes, Patrick Joyce, Ilana Morady, and Adam Young
Seyfarth Synopsis: The Cal/OSHA Standards Board unanimously voted to approve Cal/OSHA’s indoor heat rule at the June 20, 2024 Standards Board meeting. Employers should be prepared to comply within the next 30-60 days.
Originally expected to be approved at the Standards Board’s March