On January 4, 2023, the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released the 2022 Unified Regulatory Agenda and Regulatory Plan (Fall 2022 Agenda) that reports on all planned rulemaking actions of administrative...more
In January of 2022, a worker in a Massachusetts cannabis cultivation facility died because of “the hazards of ground cannabis dust,” according to a report issued by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA). ...more
MSHA has announced a new enforcement initiative regarding overexposure to respirable crystalline silica.
The silica enforcement initiative is intended “to take immediate action to reduce the risks the silica exposure.” ...more
On May 3, 2022, OSHA held a stakeholder meeting regarding the development of a nationwide occupational heat standard to prevent heat injuries and illness. The meeting featured opening remarks by Assistant Secretary of Labor,...more
On April 4, 2022, MSHA began a new enhanced enforcement program. Due to the number of fatalities around the country, all citations written under the following standards will be considered and reviewed for a special assessment...more
On Monday, April 4, 2022, OSHA released a new memorandum to regional administrators regarding enforcement of OSHA’s rule requiring electronic submittal of injury and illness records....more
On March 23, 2022, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published a notice in the federal register announcing a limited re-opening of the comment period regarding OSHA’s final standard to protect...more
MSHA has announced a new campaign focusing on mine operators’ obligations to ensure that miners are fully trained and able to take time to follow best safety practices. To that end, MSHA is providing resources on powered...more
This month, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued its Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) applicable to employers of 100 or more employees...more
On August 13, 2021, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published updated guidance for the mitigation and spread of COVID-19 in the workplace. This guidance is for workers not covered by OSHA’s COVID-19...more
On May 13, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued new guidance withdrawing the mask and physical distancing requirements for fully vaccinated individuals. The new CDC guidance raises issues for...more
On April 20, 2021, the Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued guidance related to adverse reactions after receiving a COVID-19 vaccination. According to the guidance, an adverse...more
On March 22, 2021, former two-term Boston Mayor Marty Walsh was confirmed as U.S. Secretary of Labor in a 68-29 Senate vote. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce (Chamber) supported Walsh’s nomination as Secretary of Labor due in...more
4/14/2021
/ ABC Test ,
Biden Administration ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) ,
Independent Contractors ,
Joint Employers ,
Minimum Wage ,
NEP ,
OSHA ,
Paid Leave ,
Parental Leave ,
Secretary of Labor ,
Tipped Employees ,
Trump Administration ,
U.S. Commerce Department ,
Unemployment Insurance ,
Wage and Hour ,
Willful Violations ,
Workplace Safety
On April 9, 2021, the White House issued a press release announcing its nomination of Douglas Parker (Parker) for the position of Assistant Secretary for the Occupational and Health Administration (OSHA). Parker is currently...more
As mandated by President Biden’s January 21 Executive Order, OSHA has announced a National Emphasis Program (NEP) designed to protect workers from contracting COVID-19. On March 12, 2021, OSHA announced its new national...more
3/17/2021
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Enforcement ,
Executive Orders ,
Health and Safety ,
Inspections ,
Joe Biden ,
NEP ,
Occupational Exposure ,
OSHA ,
Retaliation ,
Whistleblowers ,
Workplace Safety
One year into the pandemic, MSHA has released new guidance to help miners and operators identify the risks of being exposed to COVID-19 at work and to help them determine appropriate control measures to reduce the risk of...more
3/11/2021
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employee Training ,
Employment Policies ,
Health and Safety ,
Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) ,
Mining ,
Policies and Procedures ,
Screening Procedures ,
Vaccinations ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Hazards ,
Workplace Safety
On January 29, 2021, OSHA posted new guidance on mitigating and preventing the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace. The latest OSHA guidance standardizes a new name for employer policies: “COVID-19 Prevention Program.” In the...more
On January 21, 2021, President Biden signed an executive order directing the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to issue revised guidance to employers on workplace safety during the COVID-19 pandemic...more
As cable news hysteria continues to spread far faster than the novel coronavirus itself, government agencies are issuing alerts, and many employers are wondering what – if anything – they should be doing to protect their...more
Unfortunately, workplace violence is in the news every day. OSHA is paying increasing attention to the workplace violence issue, particularly in the healthcare industry. While there is no specific OSHA regulation addressing...more
May 31 is National Heat Awareness Day, according to OSHA and the National Weather Service. This year, the day falls at a time when the rules about preventing heat illness may be in flux. In fact, after OSHA lost a recent case...more
As of the end of last month, OSHA citations will cost you more. The Department of Labor published the official version of the Final Rule for the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Annual Adjustment for 2019,...more
Can OSHA inspect cannabis facilities? Some cannabis cultivators and manufacturers believe they are exempt from OSHA visits because the Federal government does not recognize cannabis as a legal drug....more
Some cannabis cultivators and manufacturers believe they are exempt from OSHA visits because the Federal government does not recognize cannabis as a legal drug. On June 19, 2018, a worker in a California cannabis...more
One unique challenge on mine sites is the rule requiring a phone call to MSHA within 15 minutes of certain serious accidents. Operators otherwise consumed with emergency response must make quick, on-the-scene judgments about...more