OSHA has proposed delaying the start of a new electronic recordkeeping rule until Dec. 1, and intends to make a separate proposal to reconsider, revise or remove some of those requirements.
What a difference a few months can make, as can be seen with changes at OSHA. A review of recent issues of OSHA’s “Quick Takes” newsletter highlighting important agency news paints a different picture of OSHA than newsletters from last fall.
Then, the publication was full of news about companies being cited and fined. The new penalties had kicked in and the fines were reaching record levels. The story OSHA wanted to tell about itself was enforcement, enforcement, enforcement. Contrast that with the current “Quick Takes.” Much of the news there is about training and cooperative efforts with employers.
Much of the discussion about OSHA these days is about whether the agency has gone too far with some of its regulations and programs. No matter where you stand, though, it is good every once in a while to remember …
A second OSHA-related regulation appears close to being reversed with a Senate vote this week to roll back a regulation that would have required firms that bid on government contracts to disclose past safety and labor law violations. The measure, …
A change in OSHA rule on record-keeping that extended employers’ liability for recording workplace injuries and illnesses to five years appears close to being reversed. The U.S. House of Representatives voted this week to overturn the rule change, which was …
In past years I’ve written about the value of the ANSI B11 standards and risk assessment. Those blogs were focused on describing the “what” and “why.” After recently concluding a class with a couple of safety pros and larger group …
Employers are now liable for potential problems with their OSHA-required records of work-related injuries and illnesses for five years after the occurrence of any violation, under recently revised regulations, and may need to revise their record-keeping practices.
Despite a surge in OSHA enforcement in recent years, workplace fatalities in 2015 hit their highest level since 2008, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports. The total of 4,836 fatal work injuries in 2015 was up slightly from the …
A federal judge has denied an industry request to delay enforcement of a new OSHA anti-retaliation rule designed to protect workers against reprisals for reporting injuries or illnesses. The rule – and the guidance OSHA has issued about complying with …
One of the most significant OSHA actions of 2016 was issuing guidance on drug testing, injury reporting and safety incentive programs. FDRsafety Senior Advisor and attorney Andrew Kaake offers tips on how to respond.