The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries is hoping all employers will give its two new free phone apps a try: the Good Observation, Near-Miss and Accident Reporting App and the SafeMe App. We took them for a spin and give them both two-thumbs up! Good Observation, Near-Miss and Accident Reporting App The Good Read more
The Virginia Department of Labor and Industry has revised its mandatory Job Safety and Health Protection posting to reflect current federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) law. As one of several states operating under an OSHA-approved State Plan, the protections and benefits offered under Virginia’s Occupational Safety and Health (VOSH) law are required to Read more
On August 19, 2016, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo signed three bills that will strengthen protections for employees in the state of New York starting November 1, 2016. The enacted bills make it a Class D felony to assault a utility worker (S.B. 2251), a process server (S.B. 2991), or a station cleaner or terminal cleaner Read more
To promote workplace safety, the Maine Department of Labor is offering once again free safety classes in the month of January. The courses will be held at the SafetyWorks! Training Institution in the city of Augusta. SafetyWorks! is offering these courses to prevent work-related injuries, illnesses, and death and reduce related costs. List of upcoming Read more
On September 18, 2014, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a Final Rule revising injury recording and reporting requirements. The Final Rule, which became effective January 1, 2015, extended the list of specified industries that must log all injuries or illnesses. Also under the new rule, employers are required to report any fatality to OSHA within Read more
Earlier this month President Obama signed into law the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 (Budget Act). Among other things, the act provides for mandatory increases in the penalties for violations of standards established under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. The act calls for an initial penalty adjustment that will reflect the increase in the Read more
During the 2015 legislative session, Texas passed a new law on handgun possession that will become effective January 1, 2016. Under the Open Carry Law, holders of a handgun license may lawfully carry their handguns in an open manner. The unconcealed handguns must be carried in a shoulder or belt holster. Property owners and employers Read more
Earlier this year, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) revised their recordkeeping rules. The changes included reporting all work-related fatalities within eight hours and all work-related inpatient hospitalizations, all amputations, and all losses on an eye within 24 hours starting on January 1, 2015. These federal OSHA changes were adopted by Minnesota OSHA (MNOSHA) Read more
On January 1, 2015, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) revised their recordkeeping rules. Employers under Federal OSHA’s jurisdiction have to report all work-related fatalities within eight hours. Employers also have to report all work-related inpatient hospitalizations, all amputations, and all losses of an eye within 24 hours. Before these changes, employers were only Read more
To ensure and promote workplace safety, the Maine Department of Labor will offer once again free safety classes in the month of September. The courses will be held at the SafetyWorks Training Institution in Augusta, unless otherwise noted. According to SafetyWorks, the program trains approximately 8,000 individuals annually. The free courses, which are available Read more
