Seyfarth Synopsis: Cintas Corporation has recently become the first company to reach 100 sites with OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) (Program) Star certification....more
Seyfarth Synopsis: In recent decisions—including Secretary of Labor v. Integra Health Management, Inc., No. 13-1124 (OSHRC Mar. 4, 2019)—the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC) has upheld violations of...more
3/27/2019
/ Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
General Duty Clause ,
Healthcare ,
Home Healthcare Workers ,
Hostile Environment ,
Mass Shootings ,
OSHA ,
Workplace Hazards ,
Workplace Safety ,
Workplace Violence
Seyfarth Synopsis: OSHA has recently released its National Emphasis Program on Trenching and Excavation, CPL 02-00-161 (October 1, 2018), which requires OSHA to open inspections against any contractor involved in trenching or...more
12/12/2018
/ Construction Project ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Excavation ,
Inspection Rights ,
Negligence ,
OSHA ,
Safety Inspections ,
Safety Laws ,
Workplace Hazards ,
Workplace Injury ,
Workplace Safety
The flu and cold season is now approaching. Tragically, each year, a number of deaths result from flu and other infectious diseases. Employers again routinely face concerns about how to respond to highly infectious diseases...more
11/14/2018
/ Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
Incident Response Plans ,
Infectious Diseases ,
OSHA ,
Premises Liability ,
Public Health ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Vaccinations ,
Workers' Compensation Claim
Seyfarth Synopsis: OSHA has just issued a Standard Interpretation clarifying the Obama-era guidance that prohibited incentive programs and circumscribed post-incident drug testing; “Clarification of OSHA’s Position on...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: With Hurricane Florence bearing down on the East Coast, employers are looking at potentially huge liabilities, including employee injuries and fatalities, not to mention facility damage and rebuilding....more
9/11/2018
/ Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Hazardous Substances ,
Hurricane Season ,
Mandatory Evacuation ,
Natural Disasters ,
OSHA ,
Policies and Procedures ,
Public Health ,
Public Safety ,
Severe Weather ,
Wage and Hour ,
Workplace Hazards ,
Workplace Safety
Seyfarth Synopsis: New Review Commission decision refines the definition of what OSHA must prove to establish a “Repeat” violation....more
Seyfarth Synopsis: A contractor’s employee fell 36 feet while working at a warehouse construction site and not using fall-protection equipment. ...more
A recent Eastern District of Wisconsin case held that an OSHA 11(c) retaliation claim will survive summary judgment where the employer failed to comply with its own investigation procedures....more
Seyfarth Synopsis: To be compliant, employers in State Plans that have not yet adopted OSHA’s new rule for electronic filing of injury data for Calendar Year 2017, are required to file in the federal OSHA database....more
Seyfarth Synopsis: OSHA’s has indicated in a news release that it “will continue accepting 2016 OSHA Form 300A data through the Injury Tracking Application (ITA) until midnight on December 31, 2017.”...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: OSHA’s has indicated in a news release that it “intends to publish a notice of proposed rulemaking to reconsider, revise, or remove portions” of the “Improve Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses”...more
Synopsis: As most employers probably know by now, OSHA’s revised recordkeeping rule requires certain employers to electronically file injury and illness data with OSHA. Originally the reporting deadline was July 1, 2017....more
Seyfarth Synopsis: Unfortunately, workplace violence is becoming an ever increasing liability in the workplace. Despite the presence of workplace violence prevention programs intended to avoid this hazard entirely within...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: It is imperative that employers develop and implement organized and clearly communicated procedures for responding to a disaster. A well-planned and executed emergency response program will provide orderly...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: NIOSH has released a study on the safety and health hazards posed by marijuana growing farms. Of concern for employers are the risks for musculoskeletal disorders, as well as dermal contact exposure to...more
5/16/2017
/ Agricultural Land ,
Agricultural Sector ,
Agricultural Workers ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
Farms ,
Marijuana ,
Marijuana Cultivation ,
Marijuana Related Businesses ,
NIOSH ,
Workplace Hazards ,
Workplace Safety
Seyfarth Synopsis: Congress passes a Resolution to dismantle an OSHA final rule, adopted in December 2016, which despite statutory language to the opposite, “more clearly states employers’ obligations” to record an injury or...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: Business organizations have once again brought suit against OSHA’s new electronic reporting and retaliation rule, arguing that the proposed online database violates employers’ First and Fifth Amendment...more
1/17/2017
/ Anti-Retaliation Provisions ,
Arbitrary and Capricious ,
Constitutional Challenges ,
Databases ,
Electronic Reporting ,
Fifth Amendment ,
First Amendment ,
Lack of Authority ,
OSHA ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Workplace Safety
Seyfarth Synopsis: OSHA finalizes rule that “more clearly states employers’ obligations” to record an injury or illness which continues for the full five-year record-retention period.
The Occupational Safety and Health...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: The Federal District Court has denied industry’s request to enjoin OSHA’s new rules on mandatory post-accident drug screenings and safety incentive programs, workplace retaliation, and requiring employers...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: Despite an ongoing lawsuit over its rules, OSHA issues interpretation for its May 2016 retaliation and recordkeeping rule.
We previously blogged that OSHA had again delayed, to December 1, 2016,...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: After a lawsuit was filed against OSHA challenging its May 2016 retaliation and recordkeeping rule, OSHA again delays the rule’s effective date.
OSHA announced today that it has again delayed the...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: As OSHA’s enforcement relating to employee cell phone use gains more notoriety, it can be expected that it will have a significant collateral impact on law enforcement at all levels to address this hazard....more
10/13/2016
/ Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) ,
Cell Phones ,
Distracted Driving ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
General Duty Clause ,
Mobile Apps ,
Mobile Devices ,
OSHA ,
Pokemon ,
Protected Concerted Activity ,
Smartphones ,
Technology ,
Video Games ,
Workplace Safety
Seyfarth Synopsis: OSHA’s new final rules call into question mandatory post-accident drug screenings and safety incentive programs, open the door to new retaliation citations, and will require employers to post OSHA logs...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: OSHA’s new final rules call into question mandatory post-accident drug screenings and safety incentive programs, open the door to new retaliation citations, and will require employers to post OSHA logs...more