California adopted a revised COVID-19 emergency temporary standard (ETS) June 17 based on guidance received from the state’s Department of Public Health and the increased number of vaccinated individuals. Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order enabling these new revisions to take effect immediately, without having to wait out the normal 10-day review period. State […]
OSHA’s much-anticipated COVID-19 emergency temporary standard (ETS) has been approved, but it is only directed toward the healthcare industry, whose workers are deemed the most at risk to contracting the coronavirus at this point in the pandemic. Along with the healthcare-only ETS, OSHA released new guidance for general industry employers to help them protect workers […]
A Staten Island, NY, community health center and its CEO are being sued by the U.S. Department of Labor after an employee was allegedly suspended and later fired for reporting COVID-19-related safety and health concerns. The employee was allegedly disciplined and eventually terminated after expressing concerns over staff being exposed to the coronavirus and a […]
Increased complaints, a reduction of inspections and more remote inspections during the COVID-19 pandemic combined to increase safety risks for employees, according to a new report from the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General (OIG). An ongoing OIG audit into the actions OSHA took during the pandemic reveals increased complaints, reduced inspections and an increase […]
OSHA has made an important update to the way it’s enforcing regulations regarding COVID-19. The agency says it doesn’t want to have any appearance of discouraging workers from receiving the COVID-19 vaccination, and also doesn’t want to “disincentivize” employers’ vaccination efforts. Therefore, OSHA won’t enforce 29 CFR 1904’s requirements that would have required any employers […]
In a reversal of an insurance company’s denial, a judge awarded workers’ compensation benefits to an employee who contracted COVID-19 and missed three weeks of work. Here’s how the case played out: Jose Tovar, a former employee of food-processing company JBS in Texas, caught COVID-19 in April 2020 and wasn’t able to work for three […]
More than a year after successfully adapting to pandemic-related restrictions and disruptions, many businesses are beginning to think about what comes next. While some are embracing a hybrid work format that incorporates elements of remote work and in-office activity, others will return to pre-pandemic on-site operations. Regardless of the arrangement, worker safety is top of […]
Are you confused over what the latest guidance regarding masks and those fully vaccinated against COVID-19 means for employers? Thankfully, one safety organization asked for clarification from OSHA, and the agency responded. The American Industrial Hygienist Association (AIHA) asked OSHA and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to clarify the guidance and […]
The latest guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) tells the fully vaccinated they no longer need to wear a mask or physically distance in most settings, but that will likely conflict with many workplace policies and federal and state regulations. However, the new CDC guidance does specify that masks and […]
