Employers subject to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) reporting requirements may soon see their injury and illness data publicly available on the internet. On March 30, 2022, the Federal Register published OSHA’s proposed rule to amend its occupational injury and illness recordkeeping regulations. Comments are requested before May 31, 2022.
On November 5, 2021, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) issued an Emergency Temporary Standard (“ETS”) requiring all private sector employers subject to OSHA jurisdiction with more than 100 employees and all state and local governments in states with OSHA approved State Plans, to require all employees to show proof of COVID vaccination or begin to submit to weekly COVID…
On November 5, 2021, OSHA will publish a new emergency temporary standard (“ETS”) requiring all businesses with more than 100 employees who are not already subject to a vaccine mandate to either require that all employees be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or implement a weekly COVID-19 testing requirement for any employees who are not vaccinated.
On September 9, 2021, the Federal Mine Safety and Health Administration (“MSHA”) published a new proposed rule requiring mine operators to develop and implement written safety programs for their powered haulage equipment used at surface mines and surface areas of underground mines (“surface mobile equipment”).
Who is impacted by the proposed rule?
The newly proposed rule applies to both operators…
On Thursday June 10, 2021, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) issued an emergency temporary standard (“ETS”) contained in 29 C.F.R. Part 1910 Subpart U; however, it only applies to healthcare employers. At the same time that OSHA issued the ETS, OSHA also issued updated guidance to general industry on COVID-19 prevention for unvaccinated and at-risk employees.
On May 16, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) issued updated guidance for masking noting that fully vaccinated individuals did not need to wear a mask in most settings. After the May 16, 2021 CDC guidance about de-masking, OSHA added the following statement to its COVID webpage on May 17, 2021:
“OSHA is reviewing the recent CDC guidance and will update our materials on…
On May 17, 2021, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) updated its COVID response webpage in reaction to guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) issued on May 13, 2021. The CDC guidance states that individuals who have received a full vaccination regiment against the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 do not have to wear masks in most settings…
On Wednesday, January 20, 2021, hours after taking the oath of office, President Joe Biden officially nominated Boston, MA Mayor Marty Walsh (Walsh) to serve as Secretary of Labor in the new Administration. If confirmed, Walsh will be the first union member to serve as Secretary of Labor since the 1970s. After graduating from Boston College, Walsh joined Laborers’ Union Local 223 at age 21. He…
New protections for employees concerned about workplace safety during a public health emergency are now in effect in Colorado. House Bill (“HB”) 20-1415 seeks to protect employees and some independent contractors from retaliation or discrimination if they raise safety or health concerns about a public health emergency (“PHE”) to their employer. The law became effective upon Governor Jared Polis’…
In June, the United Mine Workers of America, International Union and the United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union, AFL-CIO/CLC filed a petition for a writ of mandamus on June 15, 2020, to require the Mine Safety and Health Administration (“MSHA”) to act in response to COVID-19. The petition invoked the extraordinary…
On Wednesday July 15, 2020, Virginia became the first state to announce that it will be implementing emergency temporary standards (“ETS”) for workplace safety in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Virginia Governor Ralph Northam announced the new regulations, which are the first workplace safety enforcement regulations specifically targeted to the COVID-19 response. The federal Occupational…
The United Mine Workers of America, International Union and the United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union, AFL-CIO/CLC filed a petition for a writ of mandamus on June 15, 2020, to require the Mine Safety and Health Administration (“MSHA”) to take action in response to COVID-19. Attachment 1 The petition invokes the…
