Insight & Commentary on Occupational Safety & Health Issues
Authored by: Linda Otaigbe
OSHA has recently issued several memoranda updating guidance on its Process Safety Management (“PSM”) standard. On June 5, 2015, OSHA issued a memorandum to Regional Administrators explaining how inspectors should enforce recognized and generally accepted good engineering practices (“RAGAGEP”) requirements. Among other things, OSHA explained that when an employer’s internal standards…
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) released a new interpretation letter on April 5, 2013, clarifying that non-union employees may select a non-employee who is “affiliated with a union” or with a “community organization” to act as their walk-around representative during OSHA inspections of their employer’s worksite. In reaching this conclusion, OSHA concluded that…
In a February 16, 2012 letter to Congresswoman Kristi Noem, OSHA Assistant Secretary David Michaels has provided additional guidance to employers in the grain handling industry regarding the use of sweep augers to remove grain from bins. Sweep augers are common tools used in grain bins to push grain remaining at the bottom of a bin into…
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…
In a newly released letter of interpretation, OSHA has concluded that "therapeutic exercise" recommended by a health care professional in response to minor work-related "pain" constitutes medical treatment under OSHA’s recordkeeping rule.
OSHA was asked whether exercises recommended for a short period of time by an on-site health care professional when an employee is experiencing minor…
OSHA has issued a proposed interpretation of the terms "feasible administrative or engineering controls" as they are used in OSHA’s general industry and construction occupational noise standards. Under these standards, employers must first implement feasible administrative or engineering controls before utilizing personal protective equipment (PPE) to reduce employee exposures. According to OSHA, the proposed interpretation will "clarify that feasible…
In a recently issued letter of interpretation, OSHA has confirmed its policy that employees working in an aerial lift over water may unhook their lanyard from the boom or basket of the lift. The letter was in response to an employee inquiry regarding a company policy of allowing employees to unhook their lanyards when performing…
Employers may order employees to take seasonal and H1N1 vaccines, the nation’s principal workplace safety and health agency has stated. OSHA offered this opinion in a letter of interpretation, published recently on the agency’s website.
The letter is addressed to Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), who relayed to OSHA a letter from a constituent asking…
OSHA has declared that it lacks the congressional authority to ban the use of hazardous substances. OSHA made this statement in a letter of interpretation, published on the agency’s website, responding to a question specifically related to OSHA’s ability to ban hexavalent chromium in the workplace. OSHA agrees that “product substitution” is the best solution…
In a new letter of interpretation, OSHA has confirmed that injuries to employees sustained at off-site team-building events are recordable on OSHA logs, so long as the injuries also meet other general recording criteria (such as requiring medical treatment beyond first aid). Employers are encouraged to review their recordkeeping practices to ensure that they…
