Latest Publications

Share:

7th Circuit Upholds Criminal Convictions Under OSHA

A recent case in the 7th Circuit, upholding the criminal convictions of two supervisors based on their falsification of health and safety records, serves as an important reminder that although uncommon, the Occupational...more

OSHA Clarifies That Alternative Digital Recordkeeping is Permissible

A recent standard interpretation letter dated April 29, 2025, addressed whether employers may use software-generated documents in place of the OSHA-required injury and illness recordkeeping forms, specifically Forms 300...more

NYS DOL Publishes Model Policy, Training and FAQs For Retail Workplace Violence Law

As previously discussed on our blog, in September of 2024, New York passed a law requiring retail employers with 10 or more retail employees anywhere in New York to take certain safeguards to protect employees from workplace...more

Q and A With A Former OSHA Assistant Area Director

Today, OSHA Chronicle (“OC”) sits down with safety and health consultant John Bednarik (“JB”). OC: Hi John. To start, can you share your safety and health background with our readers? JB: Of course. Prior to starting my...more

Quick Hits: OSHRC Down to Zero Commissioners and Heat Illness Update

The Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC) is the independent agency that hears ALJ appeals of OSHA citations. OSHRC consists of three members who are appointed by the President, with the advice and consent...more

New York Enhances Protections for Retail and Warehouse Workers

As the new Administration has emphasized that federal deregulation is a priority, it is expected that many states will step into the anticipated void left by federal labor agencies such as OSHA. Not surprisingly, New York is...more

From the Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre to Modern Workplace Safety: Protecting Your Team

Besides sending flowers or a card to your sweetheart on Valentine’s Day, we like to remind our employer clients that a good way to show some love to your employees is by taking steps to protect them from workplace violence....more

OSHRC ALJ Vacates Workplace Violence General Duty Citation

By Order dated December 26, 2024, ALJ Brian Duncan vacated a general duty clause violation against a security company that provided security services to a mall. In the tragic shooting, a customer shot and killed two people...more

OSHA Kicks Off New Year With Final PPE Rule In Construction

After approximately a decade of discussing a properly fitting PPE Rule in the construction industry, OSHA’s Final Rule becomes effective January 13, 2025. The Final Rule explicitly requires that PPE is selected to ensure that...more

OSHA’s Safety and Health Tips for the Holiday Season

OSHA’s website recently added advice to employers, particularly in retail and warehousing, to help keep their employees safe this holiday season and linked a video on the Department of Labor’s YouTube page containing nine...more

Employment Law Now VIII-155 - The Trump 2.0 Impact on Labor and Employment Law [Audio]

For this Thanksgiving week episode, Michael Schmidt is joined by several Cozen O'Connor colleagues to discuss the likely impact of President Trump's second administration on such L&E issues as federal agency regulation and...more

OSHA Publishes the Top Ten Violations of 2024

Following historical precedent, OSHA’s top ten cited violations for 2024 surprise no one. They all appeared on last year’s list, although their relative positions changed a bit. Fall protection (general requirements) remains...more

California and New York Pass Workplace Violence Laws: Is Federal OSHA Next?

When CA’s Workplace Violence Prevention Law took effect on July 1, 2024, it joined a handful of other states including CT, IL, MD, MN, NJ, OR and WA with some type of similar law. On September 4, 2024, Governor Hochul signed...more

OSHA’s New Severe Injury Report Dashboard: More Public Shaming or a Tool to Help Prevent Injuries/Illnesses?

OSHA requires employers to report a fatality or severe injury (“SIR”). Generally, a fatality must be reported within 8 hours and an in-patient hospitalization, amputation, or eye loss must be reported within 24 hours. After...more

OSHA Opines When Motor Vehicle Injuries Are Work-Related

In a recent standard interpretation dated June 12, 2024, OSHA clarified the circumstances when a motor vehicle injury and fatality would be considered work-related. In doing so, OSHA restated the general principle that...more

The Heat is On: A First Look at OSHA’s Proposed Heat Standard

On July 2, 2024, OSHA released its long-awaited national heat illness and injury prevention standard as predicated in an earlier blog article. It applies to all employers conducting outdoor and indoor work in all general...more

OSHA Issues Guidance On Whether Musculoskeletal Treatments Are Recordable

In an enforcement memorandum dated May 2, 2024, OSHA provided guidance on whether musculoskeletal injuries are recordable under three treatment scenarios: first aid, Active Release Technique (ART) (massage that targets soft...more

OSHA Mid-Year Rulemaking Update

Heat Stress: OSHA recently took a critical step in implementing its long-awaited heat stress rule by presenting the draft rule’s initial regulatory framework at a meeting of the Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and...more

Do Recent Changes and Legal Challenges to the Independent Contractor Test Affect OSHA?

Businesses have struggled with the determination of who is an independent contractor vs employee for many decades. One of the challenges rests with the fact that the applicable legal test may be different depending on the...more

OSHA Updates Process Safety Management Enforcement Manual

On January 26, 2024, OSHA published a revised enforcement manual for Process Safety Management of Highly Hazardous Chemicals (“Manual”). The Manual reflect OSHA’s first revisions to its prior directive issued in 1994 which is...more

OSHA Increases Maximum Civil Money Penalties to Start the New Year

Pursuant to the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act, OSHA increases the maximum penalties for serious and other-than-serious violations from $15,625 per violation to $16,131 per violation. In addition, the...more

OSHA’s Cold Stress Guidance

As we head into the New Year, it is a good time for businesses to review OSHA’s cold stress guidance (link below). OSHA reminds employers that monitoring the wind chill temperature and workers’ physical condition while...more

Westray Bill Gaining Traction Across Canada

The enduring legal legacy of the Westray Mine disaster is the Bill C-45 amendment to the Criminal Code that established the new crime of Occupational Health and Safety (“OHS”) criminal negligence for individuals and...more

OSHA’s Top 10 Violations for 2023

OSHA recently shared preliminary data for its Top 10 list in fiscal year 2023 which ended September 30, 2023. They are listed below in order of most frequently cited: 1. Fall Protection – General Requirements (1926.501)-...more

122 Results
 / 
View per page
Page: of 5

"My best business intelligence, in one easy email…"

Your first step to building a free, personalized, morning email brief covering pertinent authors and topics on JD Supra:
*By using the service, you signify your acceptance of JD Supra's Privacy Policy.
- hide
- hide