Seyfarth Synopsis: Now, after more than 80 million vaccine doses have been given out in the US, and having weathered a year of Zoom-only visits with fellow employees, clients, and customers, those who have been vaccinated are...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: Frederick will take over as the No. 2 official at OSHA, after having already spent 25 years as the top investigator at the United Steelworkers union’s health, safety, and environment department. In that job...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: The National Retail Federation (NRF) and others brought an action against the California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR), Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA), and the Occupational...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: As the prospects of a likely Biden administration develop a key question becomes what should employers expect from OSHA under Biden? A COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard, aggressive enforcement, and a...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: Oregon OSHA finalized its COVID-19 temporary rule, OAR 437-001-0744, Addressing COVID-19 Workplace Risks, on November 6, 2020, with most provisions effective as of November 16, 2020; the rule sunsets on May...more
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: With Hurricane Laura drenching the Gulf Coast, employers are facing daunting emergencies, safety and health risks, property damage, employee disruption, and re-building....more
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
Important for healthcare workers involved in the care of patients with known or suspected COVID-19, the CDC late last week changed it’s personal protective equipment (PPE) guidance in light of N95 respirator shortages. In...more
3/17/2020
/ Best Practices ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
China ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Crisis Management ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Health and Safety ,
Healthcare Workers ,
Infectious Diseases ,
New Guidance ,
OSHA ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Public Health ,
Workplace Safety
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: The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a list of disinfectants to use against SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19....more
3/9/2020
/ Best Practices ,
China ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Crisis Management ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
New Guidance ,
Public Health ,
Risk Management ,
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