OSHA

It’s hard to avoid the Harvey Weinstein scandal in the news this week.  For those that missed it, Weinstein, a movie executive and co-founder of Miramax and The Weinstein Company, was terminated after multiple women came forward with detailed allegations of sexual harassment and assault. While many of the women who have come forward were aspiring actresses and not company employees, at least one of those women was a 25-year-old receptionist. A recent New Yorker article states that Weinstein, the company CEO, made overt sexual advances toward this woman at least a dozen times. The young woman told the New Yorker she was “very afraid” of Weinstein, but she still reported the incidents to the company. It was reported that sixteen former and current executives and assistants at Weinstein’s companies had witnessed or had knowledge of his behavior (relating to various women), but it does not appear that the company thoroughly investigated or took action to properly address the reports and allegations.

The dramatic evacuation of a 1.5-mile area around the Arkema, Inc. organic peroxide plant in Crosby, Texas, in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey has renewed interest in pending amendments to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Risk Management Program and may well affect the outcome of EPA’s reconsideration of these amendments.

by Kaileigh Fagan

As we continue steaming into the end of summer, here is part two of our summer safety series. With summer temperatures still affecting many parts of the country, it is important to remember OSHA’s guidance on protecting workers from the dangerous effects of extreme heat.

Even without a new Assistant Secretary for OSHA, the Trump Administration has recently deleted numerous Obama-era OSHA plans for workplace safety related rules.  Rules that administration officials have said they plan to overhaul or scale back include: regulations strengthening limits to exposure to beryllium, addressing workplace safety violation in healthcare, and addressing combustible dust and…

by Henry Chajet and Kaileigh Fagan

With the summer in full swing, employers should remember that the season’s heat and bugs are not just uncomfortable nuisances. They can easily become legal liabilities. In this two-part series, we’ll walk through the hazards and preventive guidance you need to protect your workers and your safety record.