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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 MoreOn 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 MoreOn 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 MoreOn 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 MoreOn 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 MoreAs 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 MoreOn 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 MoreThe 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 MoreOn 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…
Read MoreWashington, 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…
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