Regulation
OSHA Releases Heat Injury and Illness Prevention Proposed Rule
On July 2, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued its proposed rule on heat injury and illness prevention in indoor and outdoor workplaces. The rule mandates that employers with a “reasonable expectation” that workers will be exposed to certain heat thresholds have a written Heat Injury and Illness Prevention Plan (HIIPP), track local heat…
Read MoreCWS Files Comments on OSHA SBAR Panel on Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Settings
On December 20, CWS submitted comments in response to OSHA’s SBAR Panel on Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Settings. In accordance with the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act (SBREFA), OSHA convened a Small Business Advocacy Review panel (SBAR Panel) in August 2023, which facilitated a series of video conferences engaging…
Read MoreCWS Files Comments on OSHA’s Proposed Worker Walkaround Rule
On November 13, CWS and 74 organizations representing employers submitted comments on OSHA’s proposed changes to the regulations governing the Worker Walkaround Representative Designation Process. Under the current regulations, safety experts, such as hygienists and safety engineers may accompany OSHA on an inspection of an employer’s worksite. OSHA’s proposal would greatly expand the regulation and…
Read MoreCWS Calls on Congress to Rein in OSHA for Its Politicization and Dangerous Worker Walkaround Rule
On September 26, the Coalition for Workplace Safety (CWS) and 40 other employer organizations sent a letter to the House Education and the Workforce Committee’s Subcommittee on Workforce Protections calling out OSHA for its worker walkaround proposed rulemaking and the politicization of the agency that the rulemaking exemplifies. The rule would empower OSHA inspectors to…
Read MoreCWS Files Extension Request on OSHA’s Worker Walkaround NPRM
On September 21, the Coalition for Workplace Safety and 74 employer organizations filed an extension request with OSHA asking for an additional 60 days to be added to the agency’s Worker Walkaround notice of proposed rulemaking. Our letter explains, “A 60-day extension to the comment period would ensure the regulated community has the opportunity it…
Read MoreOSHA Issues Proposed Rulemaking Allowing Nonemployees into Workplaces
On August 29, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued its new notice of proposed rulemaking on its process for employees to designate a worker walkaround representative. The proposal allows employees to authorize third parties, including labor unions or community organizers, to accompany an OSHA Compliance Safety and Health Officer during a facility inspection when they are “reasonably…
Read MoreOSHA Issues Rulemaking Reinstating Obama-era Injury and Illness Reporting Requirements
On July 17, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued its final rule expanding reporting requirements for injury and illness data for employers in high-hazard industries. The rule takes effect on January 1, 2024. The rule requires certain employers to electronically submit to OSHA information from their OSHA Form 300 (Log of Work-Related Injuries and…
Read MoreOSHA Announces Targeted Regulatory Activity for 2023
On January 4, 2023, the Biden administration issued its Fall 2022 Regulatory Agenda, in which each federal agency announces its planned regulatory activity for the upcoming year. OSHA included several rulemakings CWS has been following and opposing, as well as two new items that are deeply concerning. Heat Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work…
Read MoreCWS Files Comments on OSHA’s Injury & Illness Recordkeeping Rule
On June 30, CWS and 62 organizations submitted comments on OSHA’s proposed rule, Improve Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses. In our comments, we express our deep concerns with the agency’s attempt to require electronic submission of employer summary data and individual employee injury and illness data. As we explained, “OSHA’s proposed rule does not…
Read MoreCWS Files Comments on OSHA’s Healthcare ETS
On Friday, April 22, CWS filed comments on OSHA’s Interim Final Rule establishing a COVID-19 healthcare Emergency Temporary Standard, “Occupational Exposure to COVID-19 in Healthcare Settings.” Our comments raised several procedural concerns with the rulemaking. Specifically, we addressed 1) OSHA’s lack of transparency and notice in developing the Healthcare ETS and, now, a final standard;…
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