The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration is contemplating several, and extensive, changes to its existing Process Safety Management (PSM) standard, and will be seeking public comments.
Broadly speaking, the PSM standard requires employers to implement safety programs that identify, evaluate and control highly hazardous chemicals.
Contemplated changes to the
On June 10, 2021, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a mandatory workplace safety rule requiring employers to take specified steps to protect workers from COVID-19. However, the rule applies only to health care settings. Referred to as an emergency temporary standard (ETS), the rule exempts fully vaccinated workers from masking, distancing, and
The National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health will conduct a virtual meeting on June 22, 2021, to address current workplace issues and its prior work. The details are set forth in today’s U.S. Department of Labor announcement. The DOL and federal OSHA have been shifting priorities since the initiation of the Biden
We reported previously on federal OSHA’s efforts to revise and update various provisions of the Hazard Communication Standard in order to pursue greater workplace safety. On May 20, 2021, OSHA announced an informal public hearing commencing on September 21, 2021 for the purpose of entertaining stakeholder comments and recommendations. For more information, please see this
A new federal OSHA pamphlet has been issued.
The OSHA pamphlet, “PPE for Emergency Response and Recovery Workers,” provides guidance to employers on the proper selection and use of and training concerning personal protective equipment in responding to emergencies and other incidents requiring it.
Among other advice, OSHA reminds employers of the four levels (A
Federal OSHA has recently released guidance advising on employer health and safety obligations when employers require employees to receive the COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of employment. Specifically, OSHA addresses the potential (albeit rare to date) of an employee who incurs an adverse reaction to a mandated vaccination. In such a situation, the reaction will
Throughout the United States, employers are weighing whether to have a mandatory vaccination policy for COVID-19. The objective is to bring employees back to work safely and the understandable desire to return to our pre-pandemic status quo.
This post does not advocate in favor or against a mandatory vaccination policy—except to note there may be
On February 5, 2021, federal OSHA issued a proposed rule to update the US Department of Labor’s Hazard Communication Standard (HCS or HazCom) to align with the seventh revision of the United Nations’ Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS). In support of its proposed rule, OSHA asserts the update will increase
The California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board has approved emergency, temporary COVID-19 regulations under California’s Occupational Safety & Health Act. California employers must now establish specific measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 in nearly every workplace in California. The emergency regulations, which the Standards Board approved on Thursday night by a unanimous vote,
On July 27, 2020, the first state “Emergency Temporary Standard” (ETS) for COVID-19 went into effect. The ETS requires employers in the state to develop and implement COVID-19 prevention and control measures in the workplace. The ETS is in effect for six months, although this period could be shortened if the Virginia State of Emergency