Most workers in the United States are protected from retaliation for raising workplace health and safety concerns and for reporting work-related injuries or illnesses. While these protections have been in place for decades, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a record number of complaints from covered employees claiming retaliation by their employer. Since
OSHA has recommended that Tootsie Roll Industries pay more than $136,000 in fines after a machine at its Chicago plant cut off part of an employee’s finger this year, according to The Associated Press.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, announces an opportunity for the public to provide information and comments to help improve the mental health and well-being of the nation’s health workers.
By December 8, 2021, all federal government contractors must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. According to the guidance, contractors are required to obtain documentation on every employee’s vaccination status. Meanwhile, private sector employers with 100 or more employees will more than likely be required to uphold the same standard.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced the award of more than $11.6 million in grants to 93 nonprofit organizations nationwide to fund education and training on hazard recognition and prevention, and on rights of workers to safe workplaces and the responsibilities of employers to provide them.
To combat the hazards associated with extreme heat exposure – both indoors and outdoors – the White House this week announced enhanced and expanded efforts the U.S. Department of Labor is taking to address heat-related illnesses.
OSHA’s Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER 29 CFR 1910.120, 1926.65, EPA 40 CFR 311), aims at preventing or minimizing worker exposure to hazards during operations and emergency response to unplanned events such as releases or spills. It mandates training for various categories of workers including the First Responder.
On the last day of ASSP’s in-person show in Austin, Jim Frederick, Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health, spoke to attendees on COVID-19 and OSHA’s current priorities.
With full federal approval for the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine for those 16 and older, corporate employers, the military, hospitals and other workplaces have begun announcing vaccine mandates.
Controlling the dust generated by manufacturing processes is critical to maintaining indoor air quality. A high-efficiency dust collector with cartridge-style filters can help, but it must be designed specifically for your operation to effectively filter hazardous dust to make the indoor environment safer.