On December 11, 2023, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) announced that it will be “replacing traditional hard hats used by its employees with more modern safety helmets.” Continue Reading OSHA Announces Preference for Safety Helmets over Hard Hats
On December 21, 2023, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) unveiled an unofficial version of its proposed Emergency Response Rule. The Emergency Response Rule, if finalized, would replace an existing rule applicable to firefighters with a much broader rule that also covers emergency medical personnel and search-and-rescue workers. The Rule aims to resolve what the agency has described as a “patchwork” of unrelated standards for emergency workers and will address a variety of workplace hazards, including exposure to toxic chemicals, equipment failures, infectious diseases, and the mental health impact of first-responder positions.Continue Reading OSHA to Replace Existing Fire Brigades Standard with Broad Emergency Response Rule
On December 19, 2023, MSHA announced a final rule to have written safety programs for surface mobile equipment (excluding belt conveyers) at surface mines and surface areas of underground mines.
Both the Part 56 and Part 57 rule requires:Continue Reading MSHA Announces Final Rule on Surface Mobile Equipment
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) released its latest regulatory agenda on December 11, 2023. According to the agenda, OSHA intends to advance several long-promised rules in either the final days of 2023 or early 2024.Continue Reading OSHA 2023 Fall Regulatory Agenda Released
The following are updates on recent policy and rulemaking efforts by the agency. Please reach out to your Husch Blackwell workplace and health contact with any questions.Continue Reading Recent Updates on OSHA Policies and Rulemaking
The Department of Labor (“DOL”) announced a notice of proposed rulemaking on August 29, 2023, concerning who employees can authorize to act as their representative during Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) workplace inspections. Continue Reading OSHA Announces Proposed Rulemaking Regarding Authorized Employee Representation During Inspections
MSHA has published the proposed silica rule on their website. Among other things, MSHA proposes to set the permissible exposure limit of respirable crystalline silica at 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air (µg/m3) for a full shift exposure, calculated as an 8-hour time-weighted average for all miners.Continue Reading MSHA Releases Proposed Silica Rule
On May 1, 2023, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced that it has begun a National Emphasis Program (NEP) to prevent and reduce fall-related injuries and fatalities for people working at heights in all industries. Continue Reading OSHA Announces National Emphasis Program to Prevent and Reduce Workplace Falls
Back in January, we posted about the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (“OSHA”) intention to convene a Small Business Advocacy Review Panel (“SBAR Panel”). This Panel would help decide whether OSHA should enact a Prevention of Workplace Violence in Healthcare and Social Assistance standard.Continue Reading OSHA Continues to Pursue Healthcare Workplace Violence Rule
According to Bloomberg Law, Assistant Secretary of Labor for MSHA, Chris Williamson, has stated that beginning this month the agency will resume a practice that ended in 2020 – publicizing the names of mines targeted for impact inspections. Every month, MSHA conducts targeted inspections at mines that according to the agency merit increased attention due to their compliance history or “certain compliance concerns.” Past monthly targeted inspection results are published on the MSHA website.Continue Reading MSHA to Renew Practice of Publicizing Mines Targeted for Impact Inspections