AIHA voices its support for employers who find innovative ways to encourage vaccination among workers or develop workable programs to mandate vaccination in the workforce where warranted

Federal workplace safety regulators on Wednesday, August 18, 2021, proposed $1.3 million in penalties for the construction company that employed two men who died when they were struck by a dump truck and pushed into a 9-foot (2.75-meter) deep trench at a sewer project in Boston in February, according to the Associated Press.

OSHA on August 13, 2021 issued updated guidance to help employers protect workers from the coronavirus. The updated guidance reflects developments in science and data, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's updated COVID-19 guidance issued July 27.

In February 2020, amid growing concerns of the novel coronavirus, one forward-looking French fashion designer, Marine Serre, had her models wear facemasks that matched their trendy ensembles on the catwalk at Paris’ Fashion Week. Fast forward to today. So much has changed in the last year and a half. Facemasks have become the norm to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 while the world continues to try and rebound while also preparing for new variants of the deadly virus.

In 2021, OSHA released COVID safety guidelines for meat plants and other food processing facilities — but stopped short of making them mandatory. The agency recommends using certain safety measures, such as face coverings and paid time off for employees to receive vaccinations. However, it does not require employers to follow these rules or produce written hazard analyses or safety plans.

On July 26, Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough announced he will make COVID-19 vaccines mandatory for Title 38 VA health care personnel — including physicians, dentists, podiatrists, optometrists, registered nurses, physician assistants, expanded-function dental auxiliaries and chiropractors — who work in Veterans Health Administration facilities, visit VHA facilities or provide direct care to those VA serves.

A North Georgia chicken plant and its associated companies face $1 million in fines and dozens of citations from OSHA over the deaths of six workers and injuries of a dozen in a nitrogen accident in January.

MISSION® and Magid® announced they are coming together with The Korey Stringer Institute (KSI) at the University of Connecticut, the nation’s leading heat safety advocate and research institute,  to form the National Heat Safety Coalition.

Fifteen-episode series features leading Occupational & Environmental Health & Safety influencers and their mission to keep workers healthier and safe in the workplace.

The OSH industry looks forward to A+A as a physical trade fair in autumn 2021. This is confirmed by the exhibitor registrations received to date. From October 26 – 29, 2021 over 1,000 companies will showcase their products, solutions and global innovations to predominantly European visitors at the fairgrounds in Düsseldorf, Germany.