After losing some momentum under the Trump administration and making its share of mistakes throughout the pandemic, OSHA has spent much of 2022 flexing its regulatory muscles. Consider that, so far in 2022, it has started emphasis programs and enforcement efforts targeting warehouses, heat illness, COVID-19 and trenching violations. At the same time, it has […]
Rivian Automotive, a manufacturer of electric vehicles, is facing scrutiny after at least a dozen of its workers have filed complaints with OSHA over the company’s safety practices at an Illinois plant. The workers claim “the company ignored known hazards and deprioritized safety resources, leaving some workers to share respirators needed during the manufacturing process,” […]
OSHA has begun a Local Emphasis Program in Illinois and Ohio to step up its awareness and enforcement efforts targeting the food production industry. Injury rates among the more than 90,000 food production workers in those states is “significantly higher than other manufacturing workers,” according to the agency. More amputations, fractures than other manufacturers Between […]
The number of OSHA inspectors grew 19% in fiscal year 2022, which means the agency has increased its ability to conduct inspections and expand its enforcement efforts. This growth is due in part to the additional $12.7 million the agency received in fiscal year 2020 to add 50 more inspectors to its roster. ‘Staffing levels […]
OSHA released a Safety and Health Topics bulletin in early November 2022 addressing workplace stress and mental health hazards, which seems to indicate these hazards fall under the agency’s jurisdiction. The bulletin cites a 2018 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention publication on Mental Health in the Workplace which mentions that work-related stress has a […]
Did OSHA’s enforcement activities help protect U.S. workers from COVID-19 health hazards? A report from the Department of Labor’s (DOL) Office of Inspector General (OIG) says it did not. While the OIG report acknowledged that OSHA was presented with some unique challenges throughout the pandemic, it ultimately reveals that the safety agency didn’t sufficiently protect […]
A U.S. District Court denied a New York healthcare provider’s attempt to prevent OSHA from pursuing damages for a COVID-19 whistleblower. OSHA filed a lawsuit in June 2021 against Community Health Center of Richmond and its CEO, Henry Thompson, who were accused of violating federal whistleblower provisions when they suspended and later terminated an employee […]
Employees may typically associate struck-by incidents with construction work or operating equipment but these incidents can happen just about anywhere and in any industry. For example, OSHA is investigating a struck-by incident involving a Sam’s Club employee who was killed when an overhead door broke and fell onto him, according to the Erie Times-News. Garage […]
Walmart may have to accept an OSHA citation over how it stores products on metal racks after the U.S. 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals found the rule requiring merchandise to be securely stored in tiers did apply. The appeals court found OSHA’s rule “requiring merchandise stored in tiers to be secured can apply whenever goods […]
