Following its recent interpretation that "therapeutic exercise" constitutes medical treatment for OSHA recordability purposes, OSHA has now stated that an exercise regime recommended by a Certified Athletic Trainer for an employee who exhibits any signs or symptoms of a work-related injury involves medical treatment and is a recordable case. OSHA made this interpretation in a letter recently posted
Musculoskeletal Disorder
OSHA to Hold Teleconferences on MSD Column Rule
OSHA announced today that it will be holding a series of three teleconferences, in partnership with the Small Business Administration’s Office of Advocacy, on OSHA’s proposed musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) column rule. The teleconferences are designed to provide small businesses the opportunity to weigh-in on "their experiences in recording work-related MSDs and how they believe the proposed rule would…
OSHA Temporarily Withdraws MSD Column Rule From OMB Review
The Department of Labor has just announced that OSHA is temporarily withdrawing from review by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) its proposed rule to restore a column for musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) on employer injury and illness logs.
The rule, originally proposed last year, would have required employers to “check a box” in a separate column on the…
OSHA’s Regulatory Agenda Picking Up Steam
After issuing a flurry of new enforcement initiatives earlier in the year, such as the Severe Violator Enforcement Program and its memorandum administratively increasing civil penalties, OSHA seems to have shifted its focus a little back toward its regulatory program. OSHA rulemaking often proceeds at a glacial pace, but in the last few months the Agency has issued two…
OSHA Extends Deadline for Submitting Comments on MSD Rule by 15 Days
OSHA has just announced that it is extending by 15 days the public comment period for its proposal to add a separate column on the OSHA 300 log for employers to record work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Those wishing to comment on the proposed rule must now do so by March 30, 2010. Four separate stakeholders had requested…
OSHA Proposes to Restore MSD Column on “300 Log”
In a move sure to be viewed by some as a prelude to a new ergonomics rulemaking, OSHA has proposed adding a separate column on the OSHA 300 log for employers to record work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). (The initial 2001 recordkeeping final rule had included an MSD column, but OSHA later deleted that column before…