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CWS Files Comments on OSHA COVID-19 ETS for Healthcare Industry
On August 20, CWS filed comments on OSHA’s COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard for the healthcare industry. CWS raised several issues with OSHA’s decision and process for implementing the ETS: OSHA’s process was flawed and did not provide adequate opportunity for input; OSHA has not satisfied the statutory requirements for “grave danger” or “necessity”; Several provisions exceed OSHA’s statutory authority, including…
Read MoreOSHA Issues Guidance on How to Protect Unvaccinated Workers
On August 13, OSHA announced updated guidance for employers on how to best protect their unvaccinated workers. The guidance: Recommends that fully vaccinated workers in areas of substantial or high community transmission wear masks in order to protect unvaccinated workers; Recommends that fully vaccinated workers who have close contacts with people with coronavirus wear masks…
Read MoreOSHA Issues ETS for Healthcare Industry, Updates General Guidance
On June 10, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued an Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The ETS specifically targets the healthcare industry and the high exposure rates associated with those occupations. This includes “employees in hospitals, nursing homes, and assisted living facilities; emergency responders; home health care workers; and employees in ambulatory…
Read MoreCWS Statement on CDC Mask Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated
On May 13, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued new guidance on fully vaccinated individuals. The guidance now clarifies that individuals who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 “no longer need to wear a mask or physically distance in any setting, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules,…
Read MoreCWS Meets with OIRA on OSHA’s COVID-19 ETS
On May 4, 2021, representatives from CWS met with the Office of Information & Regulatory Affairs to discuss a potential COVID-19-related Emergency Temporary Standard from OSHA. While details of the ETS have not yet been released, CWS raised many of the employer community’s general concerns with a rigid, one-size-fits-all approach to protecting workers during the…
Read MoreOregon OSHA Issues COVID-19 Safety Standard
On November 6, Oregon’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration enacted an emergency rule on COVID-19. Under the rule, employers will be required to conduct assessments on the risks their workers face in contracting COVID-19 in the workplace. They will also be required to have an infection control plan in place. The rule will go into effect…
Read MoreNew Jersey COVID-19 Mandates Go into Effect
As of November 5, all employers in the state of New Jersey are required to comply with Governor Murphy’s Executive Order 192, which creates numerous safety and health requirements related to COVID-19. The requirements are targeted to specific industries as well as the employer community generally. The order also creates an interagency enforcement program between the state’s…
Read MoreOSHA Issues COVID-19 Guidance on Ventilation
On November 4, OSHA issued new guidance on ventilation in the workplace. OSHA recommends, “Employers should work with a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) professional to consider steps to optimize building ventilation.” The guidance provides several tips on how employers can help reduce the risk of employee exposure to COVID-19.
Read MoreMaryland Safety Agency Accused of Failing Workers
The Public Justice Center, a Baltimore-based public interest law firm, is calling on Governor Hogan (R) and the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to take action against Maryland’s Occupational Safety and Health agency (MOSH) for failing to protect workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. On October 16, the Public Justice Center filed a Complaint About…
Read MoreMichigan OSHA Issues COVID-19 Emergency Safety Rules
On October 14, the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued its COVID-19-related emergency safety rules. The rules require employers in the state to assess exposure risk of employees, create a virus response plan, and establish cleaning and training procedures. Specific industries are also targeted for additional requirements; these include food processing, manufacturing, construction, retail, and…
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