As the economy begins to reopen, many employees will be returning to the workplace after COVID-19 restrictions. To ensure the workplace is safe, employers are implementing protocols to ensure sick employees stay home, facilities are clean and configured for optimal safety, and workers comply with their employer’s exposure prevention policy. Unfortunately, the threat of the Read more
May 6 to May 10 marks OSHA’s 2019 National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction. This now-annual event was initially launched on Workers’ Memorial Day in 2012 as a means to address fall protection in the construction industry, but OSHA encourages employers in all industries to participate. Falls are one of the most common Read more
In 2016, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) amended its injury and illness recordkeeping and reporting rule to require certain employers to electronically submit this information to OSHA via OSHA’s online web portal. OSHA’s decision to go digital left employers confused about their obligations under the new rule. The new rule raised questions Read more
Last month, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced the relaunch of the OSHA Site-Specific Targeting program, a programmed inspection system aimed at improving the health and safety of workplaces under OSHA’s jurisdiction by targeting enforcement actions on establishments with historically high injury and illness rates. The revamped SST (SST-16) program makes good use Read more
The Nevada Safety Consultation and Training Section (SCATS) has updated the Nevada Workplace Safety Booklet in compliance with a law passed during the 2017 legislative session. SCATS, a division of the Nevada Department of Business and Industry, provides essential workplace safety and health information for employers and employees, including mandatory postings such as the Nevada Read more
Most California businesses don’t need the prospect of stiff Cal/OSHA penalties to maintain safe and healthful workplaces. Most make occupational health and safety an ongoing priority. Still, there are many businesses that deliberately disregard occupational safety and health standards, cut corners, and tolerate unsafe practices putting their employees at risk of serious illness, injury or Read more
Today marks the 25th World Mental Health Day, an international day of awareness created by the World Federation of Mental Health to educate the public on important issues related to mental health. This year’s theme is Mental Health in the Workplace, so we’ve decided to participate by providing information to employers on their obligations under Read more
National Safety Month is observed every year in June. The focus of the campaign is to reduce leading causes of injury and death at home, at work, on the roadways and in our communities. In the workplace, the goal is to raise awareness of current state and federal health and safety standards, enrich training programs and Read more
What is an EAP? “EAP” stands for Emergency Action Plan. Federal OSHA and State Plan standards require almost every workplace to have an EAP. For example, if fire extinguishers are required or provided in your workplace, and if anyone will be evacuating during a fire or other emergency, then OSHA requires you to have an Read more
On January 18, the U.S. Department of Labor released its Final Rule establishing the civil monetary penalty amounts, adjusted for inflation, which can be issued by the various agencies under the DOL’s authority for violations assessed after January 13, 2017. These agencies include, among others, the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs, the Wage and Hour Read more
