The new face of OSHA, Jim Frederick, used to be a union official and Labor Secretary nominee Marty Walsh was known to be pro-union in his time as mayor of Boston. Therefore “the AFL-CIO wish list carries some weight,” said workplace safety attorney Adele Abrams. Abrams explored the union’s list of biggest occupational health and […]
Is this a good idea? A Canadian province is about to enact a new workplace safety law that would allow inspectors to issue fines to workers for violations. Penalties could be substantial for repeat offenders.
President-elect Biden has chosen Boston Mayor Marty Walsh to be his Labor Secretary. Walsh would oversee OSHA and MSHA, which are part of the U.S. Department of Labor. In 2016, as Mayor of Boston, Walsh filed an ordinance to give the city the right to deny, revoke or suspend a work permit based on the […]
The Biden administration has told OSHA to look into an emergency COVID-19 regulation for businesses but doesn’t mandate one as part of its overall plan. In a 200-page document, National Strategy for the COVID-19 Response and Pandemic Preparedness, a section on protecting workers says: “The President issued Executive Order Protecting Worker Health and Safety which […]
The good news: An estimated 553,000 workers’ lives have been saved since the passage of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. The bad news …
It’s not a done deal yet, but it appears OSHA fines could increase in 2016 due to language in the federal budget bill that’s been agreed upon between Republicans in Congress and the Obama administration. The fines could increase almost 80% in one jump, and increase annually by the rate of inflation after that.
“All of the Trump executive orders that applied to regulatory reform or deregulatory efforts — they’re gone. They’re no longer in effect,” said occupational health and safety attorney Adele Abrams. Speaking during the Premier Learning Solutions webinar “Safety Polices in 2021: How the New Administration Impacts Employers Now,” she said to consider any “midnight rules” related to […]
If a state tells its occupational safety and health inspectors that they have to find a higher percentage of serious, willful and repeat violations, has it set up a quota system?
Following closely on the heals of new rest rules for commercial pilots, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) set new hours-of-service (HOS) requirements for commercial truck drivers. Some groups aren’t happy about the new rules.
President Joe Biden appointed Jim Frederick to OSHA’s No. 2 leadership position, giving the administration the ability to put Biden’s vision of OSHA into place … perhaps quickly. Frederick, who replaces Loren Sweatt, was named the new Deputy Assistant Secretary for OSHA Jan. 20, and his appointment allows the new administration to pursue its agenda […]
It’s been a back-and-forth battle in court for years. Now, new hours-of-service regulations are in place for commercial motor vehicle drivers.
OSHA says it’s trying to level the playing field with new rules for residential construction. But some builders say the new rules are having the opposite effect: They’re tilting the field in such a way that cheaters are prospering, and those who comply are in danger of falling over the edge.
OSHA has published a final rule revising the 2017 beryllium standards for construction and shipyards. The rule takes effect Sept. 30, 2020. Enforcement of the 2017 permissible exposure limits for beryllium began in May 2018. OSHA has amended these paragraphs in the final rule for construction and shipyards: Definitions Methods of Compliance Respiratory Protection Personal […]
In a Jan. 29 news conference, OSHA announced new, more direct COVID-19 guidance and said an emergency temporary standard (ETS) is still being discussed. OSHA officials said they feel the new guidance is more direct in calling for employers to take action in protecting workers from COVID-19 than previous guidance from the Trump administration and […]
OSHA published its final rule July 13, revising the beryllium standard for general industry. Changes made in the final rule are meant to clarify the standard and simplify compliance. The deadline for compliance with the final standard – which will affect about 50,500 workers – is Sept. 14, but OSHA has been enforcing most of […]
OSHA has listed 24 regulations for review in its first Regulatory Agenda of 2020. Standards covering cranes and derricks, beryllium, forklifts, silica and workplace violence are all on the agenda. Here’s a breakdown by stage in the regulatory process: Final rules These are among the standards which are closest to the finish line for revisions: […]
Get up to date with our Safety Training Kits.
