Seyfarth Synopsis: Michigan OSHA (MIOSHA) enacted COVID-19 emergency rules on October 14, 2020, less than two weeks after the Michigan Supreme Court’s October 2 ruling invalidated many of Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s COVID-19...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: The CDC continues to expand its guidance on the potential routes of COVID-19 transmission, changing its definition of “close contact” of 15 minutes or more within 6 feet, to now mean 15 minutes aggregated...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: Cal/OSHA, in a press release, noted that it recently issued citations to a food manufacturer and its temporary employment agency, with over $200,000 in proposed penalties to each employer for “failing to...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: Cal/OSHA announced that it has cited eleven employers for not protecting employees from COVID-19 exposure during inspections of industries where workers have an elevated risk of exposure. The industries...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: The CDC published guidance aimed at assisting retail and service companies in limiting workplace violence against or involving their employees that may be associated with enforcing face mask mandates and...more
8/27/2020
/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employee Training ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
General Duty Clause ,
Health and Safety ,
Masks ,
OSHA ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Retail Workers ,
Retailers ,
Social Distancing ,
Workplace Violence
Seyfarth Synopsis: The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has adopted an Updated Interim Enforcement Response Plan for Coronavirus Disease (ERP). Now, as states begin reopening their economies, the...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: In Rural Community Worker’s Alliance et al v. Smithfield Foods, Inc. et al., No. 5:20-cv-6063 (W.D. Mo. May 5, 2020), Western District of Missouri Judge Greg Kays granted Smithfield’s motion to dismiss...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: The Cal/OSH Standards Board has adopted provisions that require employers to provide a copies of their IIPPs upon employee requests....more
Seyfarth Synopsis: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued an alert listing safety tips (guidance) employers can follow to help protect construction workers from exposure to the coronavirus....more
Seyfarth Synopsis: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued Interim Guidance to advise compliance safety and health officers (CSHOs) to evaluate an employer’s good faith efforts to comply with...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: On April 13, 2020, OSHA released an Interim Enforcement Response Plan for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) which is intended to provide instructions and guidance to Area Offices and compliance safety and...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: The WHO has officially declared COVID-19 to be a global “pandemic,” triggering new considerations for employers....more
3/13/2020
/ Best Practices ,
Business Continuity Plans ,
China ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Crisis Management ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Policies and Procedures ,
Public Health ,
Risk Management ,
Wage and Hour ,
Workplace Safety ,
World Health Organization
Seyfarth Synopsis: OSHA has issued a new alert and guidance document on COVID-19 suggesting ways for employers to minimize and manage risks to their workforces....more
3/12/2020
/ Airline Employees ,
Aviation Industry ,
Best Practices ,
Business Continuity Plans ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
China ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Crisis Management ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Health and Safety ,
Healthcare Workers ,
Infectious Diseases ,
OSHA ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Policies and Procedures ,
Public Health ,
Risk Management ,
Sick Leave ,
Wage and Hour ,
Waste Disposal ,
Workplace Safety
Seyfarth Synopsis: Seyfarth Shaw’s OSHA/MSHA group is at the ABA’s Occupational Safety and Health Law Committee Midwinter Meeting this week....more
3/6/2020
/ American Bar Association (ABA) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Drones ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Health and Safety ,
Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) ,
Mining ,
Occupational Exposure ,
OSHA ,
Popular ,
Safety Inspections ,
Workers' Compensation Claim ,
Workplace Safety
Seyfarth Synopsis: Seyfarth Shaw’s OSHA/MSHA group is at the ABA’s Occupational Safety and Health Law Committee Midwinter Meeting this week. Today, we heard some introductory remarks from the Solicitor of Labor, a panel who...more
3/5/2020
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Enforcement Guidance ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) ,
Mining ,
Occupational Exposure ,
OSHA ,
OSHRC ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Public Health ,
Risk Management ,
Severe Violators Enforcement Program (SVEP) ,
Silica ,
Workplace Hazards ,
Workplace Illness and Injury Reporting ,
Workplace Injury ,
Workplace Safety
Seyfarth Synopsis: As an early and aggressive response to potential threats related to the novel coronavirus disease, now identified as COVID-19, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) activated its Emerging...more
3/3/2020
/ Best Practices ,
China ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Health and Safety ,
Healthcare Workers ,
Infectious Diseases ,
New Guidance ,
Pesticides ,
Policies and Procedures ,
Public Health ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Risk Management ,
Workplace Safety
Seyfarth Synopsis: Cal/OSHA has issued guidance on protecting workers from exposure to 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV or Coronavirus)....more
2/6/2020
/ Cal-OSHA ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
China ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Emergency Response ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
Health and Safety ,
Incident Response Plans ,
Infectious Diseases ,
OSHA ,
Public Health ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Risk Management ,
Workplace Safety
Seyfarth Synopsis: The DOL has published its 2020 increases to MSHA civil penalties. The DOL has finalized the 2020 inflation adjustments, which will nudge the penalties up 1.764%. 85 Fed. Reg. 2292 (Jan. 15, 2020)....more
1/27/2020
/ Civil Monetary Penalty ,
Coal Industry ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Health and Safety ,
Inflation Adjustments ,
Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) ,
Mining ,
OSHA ,
Statutory Violations ,
Workplace Hazards ,
Workplace Safety
Seyfarth Synopsis: The Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Florida Roofing Experts Inc. – a Jacksonville, Florida, roofing contractor, for failing to protect workers from falls at two work...more
1/22/2020
/ Bodily Injury ,
Citations ,
Construction Project ,
Construction Workers ,
Contractors ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Fines ,
Labor Law Violations ,
OSHA ,
Penalties ,
Reputation Management ,
Safety Inspections ,
Safety Violations ,
Severe Violators Enforcement Program (SVEP) ,
Slip and Fall ,
Workplace Hazards ,
Workplace Illness and Injury Reporting ,
Workplace Injury ,
Workplace Safety
Seyfarth Synopsis: Establishments with 250 or more employees that are currently required to keep OSHA injury and illness records, and establishments with 20-249 employees that are classified in specific industries with...more
1/13/2020
/ Bodily Injury ,
Construction Workers ,
Deadlines ,
Electronic Filing ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Filing Deadlines ,
Labor Regulations ,
Occupational Exposure ,
OSHA ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Workplace Hazards ,
Workplace Illness and Injury Reporting ,
Workplace Injury ,
Workplace Safety
Seyfarth Synopsis: OSHA recently updated its National Emphasis Program on Amputations in Manufacturing Industries (NEP), adding a targeting methodology for industries with high employer-reported amputation statistics....more
1/3/2020
/ Agribusiness ,
Bodily Injury ,
Bureau of Labor Statistics ,
Employee Training ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Food Manufacturers ,
Health & Safety Standard ,
Inspection Rights ,
Inspections ,
Manufacturer Liability ,
Manufacturers ,
Manufacturing Equipment ,
Manufacturing Facilities ,
NAICS ,
Occupational Exposure ,
OSHA ,
Policies and Procedures ,
Safety Inspections ,
Safety Training ,
Strict Compliance ,
Workplace Hazards ,
Workplace Injury ,
Workplace Safety
Seyfarth Synopsis: The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) recently rolled out Our Roads, Our Safety, a national safety campaign to raise awareness about sharing the road safely with large trucks and buses....more
10/21/2019
/ Commercial Truck Drivers ,
Department of Transportation (DOT) ,
Distracted Driving ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
FMCSA ,
Mobile Device Management ,
Motor Carriers ,
Negligence ,
Texting ,
Trucking Accident ,
Trucking Industry ,
Trucking Regulations
Seyfarth Synopsis: OSHA reminds employers of the hazards of distracted driving.
OSHA has recently released a “Guidelines for Employers to Reduce Motor Vehicle Crashes.” ...more
10/16/2019
/ Car Accident ,
Distracted Driving ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Mobile Device Management ,
Negligence ,
OSHA ,
Risk Management ,
Tort ,
Traveling Employee ,
Workplace Hazards ,
Workplace Injury ,
Workplace Safety
Seyfarth Synopsis: The FCC has proposed new rules that would require employers to have compliant phones systems for 911 direct dialing....more
Seyfarth Synopsis: Federal OSHA has put grain handling safety right up-front on its main homepage. OSHA wants you to “learn how to stay safe during grain handling operations.”...more