As cable news hysteria continues to spread far faster than the novel coronavirus itself, government agencies are issuing alerts, and many employers are wondering what – if anything – they should be doing to protect their workers. What should your company do?
When medical marijuana first started to become legal, mine operators responded in a similar way. Most mines continue to have a zero tolerance policy for both applicants and current employees for several good reasons. But, as local legalization spreads across the country, state laws and recent court decisions are creating challenges for employers.
The average mining operator now spends $20,000 per year on citations and penalties. In this must-attend conference for cost-savings, learn how to reduce or eliminate fines with the added benefit of improved safety conditions. With increasing citations, this workshop will prepare you to handle Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) inspectors and their findings.
A new Nevada law will soon prohibit employers from denying employment to job applicants who test positive for marijuana use in pre-employment drug testing. What does this mean for your company and its safety sensitive positions?
The nation’s largest drug testing laboratory, Quest Diagnostics, recently released its latest data on the the number of workers and job applicants who tested positive for drugs in the U.S. workforce. According to the data, marijuana use in the workforce climbed 10% last year to 2.3% according to an analysis of 10 million urine, saliva
May 31 is National Heat Awareness Day, according to OSHA and the National Weather Service. This year, the day falls at a time when the rules about preventing heat illness may be in flux. In fact, after OSHA lost a recent case to use its general duty clause to make heat exposure enforceable, state and federal authorities are talking about creating a heat stress regulation.
When medical marijuana first started to become legal, many employers in mining and other safety-sensitive industries adopted zero-tolerance policies. After all, safety at these work sites is critical. But, new court decisions are calling this approach into question.
As of the end of last month, OSHA citations will cost you more. The Department of Labor published the official version of the Final Rule for the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Annual Adjustment for 2019, which adjusts civil penalties for inflation. Federal law requires the annual adjustment to occur each year by January 15th. This year’s publication was delayed due to the partial government shutdown.
Many of the MSHA regulations that are currently in effect were written in the 1970s; at that time in history, digital meant using your fingers (digits). Since then, technology has become so advanced that the regulations do not even address the latest hazards involved in mining.
Can OSHA inspect cannabis facilities? Some cannabis cultivators and manufacturers believe they are exempt from OSHA visits because the Federal government does not recognize cannabis as a legal drug. According to a recent case in California, the government disagrees.