Dr. David Michaels, confirmed by the U.S. Senate on Dec. 3 to lead OSHA, has an ambitious agenda for the agency. Michaels, an epidemiologist and university professor associated with a public health group funded by plaintiffs’ attorneys, will have as …
An important indicator of how OSHA intends to continue extending its reach was unveiled in the form of its Fall Regulatory Agenda, which details where the agency intends to go with rulemaking over the next 12 months. An issue that …
OSHA has released its preliminary list of the top 10 safety violations it has assessed in 2009 and at the head of the list are scaffolding problems (9,093 violations so far), fall protection (8,771 violations) and hazard communications (6,378 violations). …
OSHA has announced the list of industries that will be targeted under its one-year program that will intensively ramp up recordkeeping enforcement. The program concentrates on industries with traditionally high accident rates. Within those industries, companies that have reported low …
There has been a lot of attention given to the increased emphasis on enforcement by the “New OSHA,” but companies need not panic – thoughtful planning can prepare your company well for an OSHA inspection. Here are five key steps …
One of the leading causes of deaths and serious injuries in American industry is falls from heights. OSHA’s regulations for general industry employers haven’t changed since OSHA started enforcing its standards in 1971. The general industry fall protection rules I …
If luck doesn’t go your way and your company receives a recordkeeping inspection as part of OSHA’s new one-year National Emphasis Program (NEP) that has just started, the inspection will have three main components. 1) Records review of: All available …
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 …