The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has announced it will issue an emergency temporary standard to protect healthcare workers from contracting coronavirus. The standard focuses on healthcare workers most likely to have contact with someone infected with the virus. OSHA announced the new standard alongside new general industry guidance, both of which are aligned with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance
On June 3, 2021, the Cal/OSHA Occupational Safety & Health Standards Board finally passed revised Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS) that now take into account employee vaccination status and loosening restrictions from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and California’s elimination of the colored Tier system. The revised ETS will go into effect on June 15, 2021 and creates additional employer obligations beginning on July 31, 2021.
There are a number of best practices that an employer should follow when faced with any OSHA inspection. Like most best practices, they start with advanced planning so that everyone is prepared when the inspector shows up.
The comprehensive guide is free and includes specific examples of leading health metrics, how to create a balanced set of leading health metrics, and how implement and measure them in a workplace.
Many of you have good ideas for OSHA. I know it is true because I got and used many ideas the public sent to OSHA on proposed regulations and on the OSHA Expert Advisor projects over my 27 years of work at the organization.
On December 29, 1970, President Nixon signed the Occupational Safety and Health Act, which was enacted on April 28, 1971. Here’s a brief overview of OSHA through the years as well as what the agency is currently facing.
If you are prepared for an OSHA visit, you likely also have a better safety program and culture. You likely have trained employees, plans in place, emergency drills up to date, and records ready for review.
Since COVID-19 vaccine distribution began in December 2020, millions of people across the United States have been vaccinated. Still, a large percentage of people remain unvaccinated, which creates challenges for employers who view the COVID-19 vaccine as a key protective measure for maintaining a safe and healthy workplace.