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Biden Issues Executive Order Calling for Second COVID-19 ETS
On September 9, President Biden announced his six-pronged, comprehensive national strategy to stop the COVID-19 pandemic. This included a significant escalation of his efforts to get the eligible population vaccinated against the virus. One piece of this plan includes a new emergency temporary standard from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration that will require employers with…
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 MoreOSHA FAQ on Recording Adverse Reactions to COVID-19 Vaccine
On Friday, May 21, OSHA altered its FAQ on recording requirements related to adverse reactions to the COVID-19 vaccination. OSHA explains that the agency “does not wish to have any appearance of discouraging workers from receiving COVID-19 vaccination, and also does not wish to disincentivize employers’ vaccination efforts.” Therefore, the agency will not require employers…
Read MoreOSHA Launches National Emphasis Program on COVID-19
On March 12, 2021, OSHA announced a new National Emphasis Program “focusing enforcement efforts on companies that put the largest number of workers at serious risk of contracting the coronavirus.” The program also “prioritizes employers that retaliate against workers for complaints about unsafe or unhealthy conditions, or for exercising other rights protected by federal law.”…
Read MoreOSHA Issues New Workplace COVID-19 Safety Guidance
On January 29, 2021, OSHA issued new workplace safety guidance related to the COVID-19 pandemic. As OSHA explained in their press release, “This guidance contains recommendations as well as descriptions of mandatory safety and health standards. The recommendations are advisory in nature, informational in content, and are intended to assist employers in providing a safe and…
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 MoreOSHA Issues New FAQ on Use of N95 Respirators Against Coronavirus
Washington, D.C. – On October 19, OSHA issued a new frequently asked question (FAQ) on “how N95 respirators effectively protect wearers from coronavirus exposure. The FAQ was issued in response to incorrect claims that the respirators do not adequately protect individuals from the virus. OSHA explains that the masks use a combination of factors, including mechanical filtration and…
Read MoreOSHA Issues New FAQs on Reporting Work-Related Cases of COVID-19
Washington, D.C. – On September 30, OSHA added three new frequently asked questions to its comprehensive COVID-19 guidance for employers. The new questions provided much needed insight into how employers should report work-related cases of coronavirus. CWS applauds and thanks OSHA for its continued commitment to guiding the employer community through this complicated and unprecedented period.
Read MoreOSHA Now Publicizing Annual Injury and Illness Reports
Washington, D.C. – OSHA has begun posting employers’ injury and illness annual summary reports (Form 300A submissions) on its website. The website currently includes data from 2016 through 2018. OSHA has not announced when 2019 data will be posted. The Form 300A reporting mandate applies to all workplaces with 250 or more employees and locations…
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