On April 29, 2009, Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis said OSHA would pursue a dedicated, comprehensive rule-making on combustible dust. Under the previous administration, OSHA pursued targeted enforcement of employers through a National Emphasis Program (mostly in federal enforcement …
In September 2008, OSHA’s Advisory Committee on Construction, Safety and Health recommended that OSHA rescind the interim fall protection standard for residential construction. I believe OSHA has/will accept this recommendation and will rescind the interim standard before the end of …
The key to a successful OSHA inspection is careful advance preparation that includes a thorough understanding of what will happen and the rights that an employer and an inspector have during the process. The law firm of Sherman & Howard …
Sen. Ted Kennedy has introduced a bill to amend the Occupational Safety and Health Act that would, among other things, expand OSHA coverage to 8.5 million public sector workers who are employed by state, county and local governments, but are …
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration has begun an unusual review into the practices of a state occupational safety and health agency. The Las Vegas Sun reported that a task force comprised of federal OSHA officials and two officials …
OSHA has resumed its practice of answering very specific questions about how its regulations should be interpreted. The answers, known as letters of interpretation, appear on the agency’s web site and most of the posted answers deal with construction safety …
The U.S. CHEMICAL SAFETY BOARD (CSB) has released a new safety video depicting how accumulations of combustible dust at worksites can provide the fuel for devastating explosions that kill and maim workers, shut down plants and harm local economies. Entitled, …
OSHA is stepping up its on-site inspection of injury and illness records as part of a new National Emphasis Program focusing on employers with low incidence rates who operate in high-rate industries. The program also will include a sample of …
The following item from ChamberLinks, a publication of the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce, provides insights into OSHA’s priorities in Region 3, which includes West Virginia, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware and the District of Columbia: The regional director for the …
More evidence of OSHA’s new increased emphasis on enforcement, as opposed to voluntary programs, came recently when it announced that it would re-evaluate its Voluntary Protection Programs in light of a critical report by the General Accounting Office. The agency …