During the April 12th U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriation’s Subcommittee Hearing to review the FY2019 Department of Labor Budget Request, Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta was questioned on OSHA’s injury and illness record-keeping regulation passed under Obama’s administration, Improve Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses. The focus of the questioning centered on weighing the usefulness and necessity … Continue Reading
Authored by Courtney Malveaux Members of a key Congressional committee recently made clear that it is looking to nudge the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) into a more cooperative direction. Some industry leaders have observed that, under the Trump administration, OSHA has begun to do just that. Last Tuesday, the Workforce Protection Subcommittee of … Continue Reading
Earlier this month OSHA published a guidance document for the tree care industry, “Solutions for Tree Care Hazards.” The two page publication addresses five major hazards for the tree care industry, including traffic control, chippers, aerial lifts, power lines and drop zones for falling objects. The publication breaks each topic into risk factors and prevention … Continue Reading
Employers covered by OSHA’s recordkeeping rule are required to prepare and post the OSHA Form 300A, “Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses,” beginning February 1 and keep the form posted until April 30. The form must be posted at each establishment covered, in a conspicuous place where notices to employees are customarily posted. Prior to posting, a company … Continue Reading
OSHA is beginning the New Year with higher penalties. Effective today, civil penalties for violations of OSHA standards and regulations increased to adjust for inflation. In a Federal Register notice issued today, the U.S. Department of Labor increased civil penalties for a variety of regulated areas, such as Immigration, Child Labor, Wage and Hour, MSHA and OSHA. … Continue Reading
Last week we reminded employers covered by the recordkeeping requirements in Section 1904 that December 15th was the deadline to electronically submit 2016 300A forms for certain employers. In true holiday spirit, OSHA announced in today’s OSHA Quick Takes that it will continue to accept “2016 OSHA Form 300A data through the Injury Tracking Application … Continue Reading
Employers covered by the recordkeeping requirements in Section 1904 are reminded that Friday, December 15th is the DEADLINE to electronically submit their 2016 300A. This requirement applies to establishments with 250 or more employees and to establishments in certain high-risk industries with 20 or more but less than 250 employees. The following OSHA-approved State Plans have … Continue Reading
It is widely anticipated that President Trump’s announcement of Scott Mugno as his nominee for the position of Assistant Secretary of Labor for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is imminent – a position temporarily being filled by Loren Sweatt, the Deputy Assistant Secretary. Scott Mugno is the VP of Safety, Sustainability and Vehicle … Continue Reading
Authored by Ray Perez With the December 1, 2017 deadline fast approaching for covered employers to electronically submit injury and illness records to OSHA, the Agency has indicated that it is close to completing its review to the Obama-era Improve Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses final rule. In a Status Report filed on October … Continue Reading
On August 16th we reported that OSHA had suspended user access to its new Injury Tracking Application (“ITA”) that serves as the web portal for the submission of injury and illness information under OSHA’s “Improve Tracking of Workforce Injuries and Illnesses” rule. The suspension followed a warning by the Department of Homeland Security alerting OSHA … Continue Reading
OSHA recently released the top ten violations for fiscal year 2017, which ended September 30. Generally, this list does not change much from year to year with the top three violations always being fall protection, hazard communication and scaffolding. OSHA noted that not all violations had been added to its reporting system but that the … Continue Reading
In a memorandum issued today from Thomas Galassi, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary to OSHA Regional Administrators, OSHA has announced how it will handle enforcement of the new Silica Standard for the construction industry, which takes effect on September 23, 2017. For the first 30 days of enforcement OSHA will not issue citations to those employers … Continue Reading
In 2010 OSHA promulgated a final rule regulating cranes and derricks in the construction industry, Cranes and Derricks in Construction, Subpart CC (29 C.F.R. 1926.1400, et al.). Shortly after the final rule was issued OSHA published the Small Entity Compliance Guide on the new standard. Portions of the agency’s guidance created considerable conflict between OSHA and stakeholders involved in the … Continue Reading
On Monday we blogged about the availability of the new OSHA Injury Tracking Application (“ITA”) that serves as the web portal for the submission of injury and illness information (300 Logs, 301 Forms and 300A Forms) under OSHA’s “Improve Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses” rule (aka Electronic Recordkeeping rule). Yesterday, OSHA suspended user access to … Continue Reading
As part of the final rule, Improve Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illness, issued in May 2016, employers had a phased in compliance deadline for the electronic submission of recordkeeping forms. For 2017, employers with establishments with 250 or more employees and establishments with less than 250 employees but 20 or more in certain high-risk industries were … Continue Reading
In an email sent today to stakeholders, OSHA announced that it intends to delay the July 1, 2017 compliance date for the electronic submission of the 2016 Form 300A. As part of the final rule, Improve Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses issued in May 2016, employers had a phased in compliance deadline for the … Continue Reading
At a recent American Bar Association meeting, Dorothy Dougherty, Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA and Tom Galassi, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA both noted that while there has been a change in the Presidency and political administration, OSHA is moving along uninterrupted, for now. Galassi noted that the agency will … Continue Reading
Late today, the Senate voted 50-48 to adopt H.J. Res 83, nullifying OSHA’s rule “Clarification of Employer’s Continuing Obligation to Make and Maintain Accurate Records of Each Recordable Injury and Illness,” informally referred to as the “Volks” rule. The “Volks” rule made recordkeeping requirements a continuing obligation and effectively gave OSHA the ability to issue citations to employers for … Continue Reading
The U.S. Senate has passed, by a single-vote margin, a joint resolution previously passed by the U.S. House that “disapproves” President Barack Obama’s 2014 Executive Order 13673: Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces, often called the “blacklisting” executive order. To find out what this means, click here.… Continue Reading
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has reminded employers they must post a copy of the agency’s “Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses” (Form 300A) summarizing job-related injuries and illnesses logged during 2016. To read the full article, written by Nickole Winnett, click here.… Continue Reading
There are new developments related to OSHA’s Electronic Recordkeeping Rule and the Volks Rule. As a reminder, the Electronic Recordkeeping Rule requires certain employers to electronically file their OSHA recordkeeping data with OSHA as well as heightens scrutiny related to both drug testing and safety incentive programs. The Volks Rule essentially reversed the decision held in AKM … Continue Reading
Dr. David Michaels, the Assistant Secretary for OSHA, announced that today, January 10th, would be his last day with the agency. He will be returning to academia at George Washington University beginning January 17th. And, on this last day, he continued what has been a very aggressive regulatory agenda by announcing that he was accepting a coalition of unions’ … Continue Reading
By April 1, 2017, all employers in California operating in the following areas will be required to comply with Section 3342, the Workplace Violence Prevention in Health Care rule: health care facilities; home health care programs; drug treatment programs; emergency medical services; and outpatient medical services to correctional and detention settings. This rule is far more expansive than Federal … Continue Reading
In July 2016, several trade associations and others (“plaintiffs”) filed suit against OSHA challenging the agency’s anti-retaliation provisions in the final rule, Improve Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses (81 Fed. Reg. 29,624) (May 12, 2016). The legal challenge alleged the final rule exceeded OSHA’s statutory authority, violated the Administrative Procedures Act and the Occupational … Continue Reading
