By Adam R. Young, A. Scott Hecker, Patrick D. Joyce, Brent 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
By: Adam R. Young, Daniel R. Birnbaum, A. Scott Hecker, and Craig B. Simonsen
Seyfarth Synopsis: Recent data continues to show material disparities in serious injury and fatality rates among employees of differing races or ethnicities, with African-Americans and Hispanics showing considerably higher rates.
The National Safety Council has published its Injury Facts
By James L. Curtis, Adam 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
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
By Ilana Morady, Patrick D. Joyce, Coby Turner, Liz Watson and Juan Rehl-Garcia
Seyfarth Synopsis: Two big changes are on the horizon for California employers:(1) changes to the COVID-19 general exposure notification requirements and (2) a proposed “permanent” Cal/OSHA COVID-19 standard to take effect January 1, 2023-2025.
The fall season signals
By James L. Curtis, Adam R. Young, Patrick 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
By Hoorya Ahmad and Patrick Joyce
Seyfarth Synopsis: Washington State’s COVID-19 emergency declaration expires October 31, 2022 but the Health Emergency Labor Standards Act (HELSA) administered by the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I), and codified at WAC 296-62-602 to -609, will remain in place for the time being.
HELSA
By Jeryl L. Olson, Patrick D. Joyce, Rebecca A. Davis, Jose Almanzar, Ilana R. Morady, Brent I. Clark, and Craig B. Simonsen
Seyfarth Synopsis: Governor Gavin Newsom has signed into law two sweeping pieces of legislation prohibiting certain products containing intentionally added perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in California starting
By Adam R. Young, James L. Curtis, Patrick D. Joyce, and Craig B. Simonsen
Seyfarth Synopsis: With Hurricane Ian drenching the Gulf Coast, Florida, and the Atlantic coastal states, employers are facing daunting emergencies, safety and health risks, property damage, employee disruption, and re-building.
This blog contains an updated primer on
By Adam R. Young, A. Scott Hecker, Patrick D. Joyce, Brent I. Clark, James L. Curtis, and Craig B. Simonsen
Seyfarth Synopsis: While completing the healthcare COVID-19 standard continues to be the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s top rulemaking priority, Doug Parker, U.S. DOL’s Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety