Vaccines have been rolling out, but COVID-19 is still a threat. As industrial facilities push through what is hopefully the final stretch of the pandemic, they need to remain cautious. It’s perhaps more crucial than ever to minimize worker exposure to COVID-19.

Of the more than 300 employers who have accrued safety penalties during the coronavirus pandemic, only about one-third have paid, according to an investigation by Reuters.

The Joint Consensus Statement summarizes what occupational health professionals and scientists currently know about airborne SARS-CoV-2 transmission and outlines recommendations.

Each month, Examinetics gathers three or four safety professionals and asks them to share their thoughts on what is happening in the world of EHS. The panelists come from various types of companies and industries, and from diverse safety backgrounds and roles. As we start a new year, the panelists looked back and reflected on what we learned. Below are eight takeaways we have learned from a year of hosting safety roundtables.

As directed by President Joseph Biden’s Executive Order issued on January 21, 2021 requiring the Federal Government to take swift action to protect workers from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has released updated guidance on how to prevent exposure and the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace.

The House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis on Monday, February 1, launched an investigation into widespread COVID-19 infections and deaths in US meatpacking plants. Representative James Clyburn, Chairman of the Subcommittee, sent letters to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Tyson Foods, Smithfield Foods and JBS USA.

On January 21, 2021, in an effort to provide enforcement of more stringent worker safety standards, President Biden issued an Executive Order (‘EO”) on Protecting Worker Health and Safety. 

Industrial businesses have faced unprecedented challenges amid COVID-19. Companies have dealt with shutdowns and other disruptions for almost a year now, but the end may be near. As vaccines begin to roll out, many workers now wonder when they can get vaccinated.

Meatpacking workers and their employers are pushing to the front of the line for coronavirus vaccinations as state governments roll out their distribution plans to combat the pandemic, according to Bloomberg Law.

On Jan. 12, 2021, the Virginia Safety and Health Codes Board (Board) voted 9-4 to approve a permanent safety and health standard (Permanent Standard) requiring employers to take steps to protect workers form Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19).