January 2010

As of January 27, 2010, OSHA’s State Plan webpage is reporting that all State Plan States have indicated an intent to adopt OSHA’s Recordkeeping National Emphasis Program (NEP). (OSHA will continually update the webpage as it gathers additional information from the State Plan States regarding adoption.)  OSHA launched the NEP, effective September 30, to ascertain…

In mid-December 2009, Professor David Michaels was sworn in as the new Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA.  Shortly after being sworn in as Assistant Secretary, Professor Michaels gave an interesting speech at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Going Green Workshop.  The speech was entitled “Making Green Jobs Safe: Integrating Occupational Safety …

In 2009, OSHA emerged from the regulatory and enforcement shell that had shrouded it during the eight years of the Bush Administration. Once confirmed, Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis announced that a “new Sheriff” was in town, who would refocus the Department of Labor – including OSHA – on tough enforcement and aggressive rulemaking. In both areas, OSHA…

Over the past three months, the media has been fixated on concussions in professional football players. Some of the National Football League’s top players – Ben Roethlisberger, Kurt Warner, Clinton Portis – have recently been sidelined for concussions sustained on the playing field. After Ben Roethlisberger of the Pittsburgh Steelers was held out for an important game against…