Now that most states, the CDC, and OSHA have (or may soon) lift mask mandates for vaccinated workers, what is an employer to do about revealing an employee’s vaccination status? Under any relaxed masking guidance applicable...more
The announcement yesterday from the CDC that fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear a mask or physically distance in any non-healthcare setting was a welcome relief for all Americans and a hopeful sign that we have...more
Now that the country is on course to see all adult Americans eligible for COVID-19 vaccination in a matter of days, and an increasing number of employees are returning to the workplace, vaccination status is likely to be an...more
The new administration wasted no time in announcing its plan for tackling the COVID-19 pandemic, releasing a roadmap on January 21 on how it plans to address the crisis. The plan includes 12 initial executive actions, many of...more
1/25/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Masks ,
Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) ,
OSHA ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Social Distancing ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
When the pandemic first began, most employees were ready to pitch in and do their part to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. They adapted to remote working while attending to their children. Others understood they were...more
The Cal/OSHA Standards Board just adopted an emergency standard related to COVID-19 prevention in the workplace, imposing some significant requirements on California employers. Most notably, the new rule finalized yesterday...more
11/20/2020
/ Cal-OSHA ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Employment Policies ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Masks ,
New Rules ,
Notification Requirements ,
Paid Leave ,
Paid Time Off (PTO) ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Quarantine ,
Return-to-Work Agreements ,
Sick Employees ,
Sick Leave ,
Social Distancing ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Illness and Injury Reporting ,
Workplace Safety
Fall protection in construction is one of the most cited OSHA standards across all industries, with fall protection training in construction being the eighth most-cited. More importantly, falls constitute more than a third of...more
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released a Guidance on Returning to Work document that describes strategies and recommends steps employers should take during all phases of reopening. Most of OSHA’s...more
6/19/2020
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
New Guidance ,
OSHA ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
Recordkeeping Requirements ,
Return-to-Work Agreements ,
Risk Assessment ,
Sick Employees ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Hazards ,
Workplace Illness and Injury Reporting ,
Workplace Safety
Colorado Governor Jared Polis just issued a new executive order: “Ordering Workers in Critical Businesses and Critical Government Functions to Wear Non-Medical Face Coverings.” The order requires the Colorado Department of...more
The Occupational Safety and Health Act (“OSH Act”) requires covered employers to meet several reporting requirements to prove compliance. At this time of the year, many covered employers have posted (or should have posted)...more
On Thursday, November 15, 2019, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (“MSHA”) held the fourth of five stakeholder meetings to discuss the implementation of the revised Workplace Examination standard for metal/non-metal...more
We recently reported that on June 11, 2019, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit issued an opinion vacating the Mine Safety and Health Administration’s (“MSHA”) 2018 rule...more
Most employers are aware that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration can issue monetary penalties for health and safety violations occurring in the workplace. Many employers also know that in particular...more
At the end of July, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (“MSHA”) announced the issuance of a Program Policy Letter (“PPL”) to provide mine operators guidance regarding the existing requirement to provide escape ways or...more
Over the last couple of years, employee incentive programs have been under attack from the Department of Labor. However, OSHA and MSHA have undertaken their efforts against incentive programs in different ways. In the...more
6/7/2019
/ Bonuses ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Incentive Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) ,
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR) ,
OSHA ,
Proposed Regulation ,
Workplace Illness and Injury Reporting ,
Workplace Injury ,
Workplace Safety