Category: News
Lawmakers Press Colleagues To Back Robust OSHA, NIOSH Funding Levels In Fiscal ’16
House and Senate Democrats are circulating letters urging lawmakers to support increased OSHA funding and to shield NIOSH from the Obama administration’s long-contemplated elimination of two research and education programs, with the advocacy effort driven by several safety and health professional organizations.
New OSHA reporting rules bring big enforcement changes
In the wake of new injury and illness reporting requirements put into place Jan. 1, OSHA has developed enforcement procedures that could significantly impact employers.
OSHA Offers Good-Faith Employers Leeway On June 1 Hazcom Deadline
OSHA is offering some enforcement leeway for companies that show good-faith efforts to meet an upcoming June 1 deadline for updating safety data sheets (SDS) and labeling mixtures of chemicals with known hazards under a 2012 worker right-to-know standard, though some in industry believe the…
Senate Republicans Call On Obama To Demand Immediate Resignation Of CSB Chair
Two key Senate Republicans on safety and environmental issues are demanding President Obama immediately call for the resignation of Rafael Moure-Eraso, the chair of the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) who has been roiled with controversy on Capitol Hill and in interactions with the agency’s inspector general (IG) over allegations of mismanagement, power abuse and whistleblower retaliation.
Oregon Workers Compensation Board rules Claimant required to cooperate with employer/insurers reasonable investigation. Claimant’s attorney sanctioned.
In The Matter of the Compensation of Tracey Sklenar, WCB #12-00548. On October 3, 2011, Claimant filed an occupational disease claim for work-related stress allegedly stemming from her job. On October 11, 2011, Claimant and her attorney were notified that as part of the investigation…
FEDOSHA calls for Arizona to Follow Federal Fall Protection Policy
FEDOSHA is demanding that the Arizona State Plan (“ADOSH”) follow federal policy regarding fall protection. In some circles, this has been seen as a signal that FEDOSHA will more strictly construe and enforce its “at least as effective” measure of state programs in the second…
Federal Osha Publishes General Industry Inspection Targeting Plan Changes
The link below references a Federal OSHA Notice that describes a Federal program change which establishes policies and procedures regarding general industry inspection targeting under the SST-12 plan. States with OSHA approved State Plans are required to have their own inspection targeting systems (a “core…
Washington L&I’s new guidelines for opioids Rx to treat injured workers
Washington State’s Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) has issued new guidelines for prescribing opioids to treat injured workers. Some of the more noteworthy references in the guideline publication are the following: *In general, opioid use for acute pain should be reserved for post surgery,…
OSHA’S TOP 10 VIOLATIONS FOR FISCAL 2012 ANNOUNCED
Federal OSHA has announced the preliminary Top 10 most frequently cited workplace safety violations for fiscal year 2012. They are as follows: (1) Fall Protection – General Requirements (1926.501) – Total violations: 7,250 (2) Hazard Communication (1910.1200) – Total violations: 4,696 (3) Scaffolding (1926.451) –…
OR-OSHA SEEKS TO UNDO “ROGUE SUPERVISOR” CASELAW
Issue: On November 7, 2012, OR-OSHA will convene what it hopes will be the one and only discussion with employers concerning its intent to promulgate a brand new “employer knowledge” rule in Oregon. As reflected below, it can be reasonably inferred that the purpose of…
OSHA’s use of General Duty Clause Rejected / Lack of Fair Notice
OSHA v. ERICKSON AIR-CRANE, Inc., OSHRC Docket No. 07-0645 This matter was brought before the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission for review following Employer’s appeal of the ALJ’s ruling that it violated the general duty clause of OSEA by exposing employees to fall…
OSHA SOL interpretation unreasonable – no deference given / recordkeeping violations dismissed
AKM LLC, v. Sec. of Labor, 675 F.3rd 752 (2012). On May 10, 2006, OSHA began an inspection of AKM LLC, doing business as Volks Constructors (Volks), and discovered that Volks had not been keeping updated injury report logs, forms, and summaries between 2002 and early…
