There have been recent growing concerns regarding the inhalation of crystalline silica dust in the California stone countertop industry, with attempts by the California State Legislature to enact regulations improving the...more
Introduction: Understanding the New Regulations on Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS) Respirable crystalline silica (RCS) is classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as a human carcinogen. ...more
The May 16th Standards Board Meeting and May 20th Cal/OSHA Advisory Committee meetings offered many rulemaking updates and even clarified some questions that have been posed to Cal/OSHA in recent months. Petition 605...more
The Mine Safety and Health Administration (“MSHA”) released its long-anticipated silica rule on Tuesday, April 16, 2024. (See the rule here) The rule is aimed at reducing miners’ exposure to respirable crystalline silica,...more
We have an important update to share about the status of MSHA’s Respirable Crystalline Silica rulemaking, officially proposed as Lowering Miners’ Exposure to Respirable Crystalline Silica and Improving Respiratory Protection....more
Seyfarth Synopsis: The U.S. Department of Labor recently announced that OSHA has launched a new initiative focused on enhancing enforcement and providing compliance assistance to protect workers from the hazards of silica....more
It’s hard to keep up with all the recent changes to labor and employment law, especially since the law always seems to evolve at a rapid pace. In order to ensure you stay on top of the latest changes and have an action plan...more
How Law Limiting Arbitration Agreements for Sexual Assault, Harassment Claims Affects Construction- In an industry often targeted by anti-discrimination agencies, construction industry employers need to be aware of a new...more
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Denver Regional Office has announced the rollout of a “Regional Emphasis Program” dedicated to the reduction of incidents of workplace illness related to silica....more
Seyfarth Synopsis: OSHA has developed a new Regional Emphasis Program (REP) to identify and reduce hazards in the cut stone and stone products industry, which OSHA alleges to have the highest documented overexposures to...more
On June 25, 2020, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued Inspection Procedures for the Respirable Crystalline Silica Standards. The new procedures, 124 pages in length, went into effect immediately....more
For employers concerned about how the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has been enforcing its Respirable Crystalline Silica Standard for General Industry, the agency’s enforcement data for the standard’s...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: Seyfarth Shaw’s OSHA/MSHA group is at the ABA’s Occupational Safety and Health Law Committee Midwinter Meeting this week. Today, we heard from panels that discussed California Workplace Violence and Indoor...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: Seyfarth Shaw’s OSHA/MSHA group is at the ABA’s Occupational Safety and Health Law Committee Midwinter Meeting this week. Today, we heard some introductory remarks from the Solicitor of Labor, a panel who...more
For construction employers anxious over how the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and state plan states are enforcing the Respirable Crystalline Silica in Construction Standard, the last two calendar years...more
The United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) issued an October 7th news release stating it cited Liberty Casting Company (“Liberty”) for certain alleged violations. Liberty is stated to operate...more
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) announced today that it would hold a public meeting on its recent Request for Information (RFI) on Respirable Silica (Quartz). That RFI, published on...more
To almost everyone’s delight, OSHA has filled the vital position of the Director of the Directorate of Construction (DOC). The DOC Director position is always challenging to fill. It requires a high degree of construction...more
Last week, OSHA began a potential rulemaking process to expand what some might consider exceptions to the 2016 silica rule in construction. Here’s what we know… On July 29th, OSHA submitted to the Office of Information...more
On July 29th OSHA submitted a draft Request for Information (RFI) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regarding Table 1 in OSHA’s construction standard for silica. If approved by OMB, OSHA intends to issue the RFI in...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: Seyfarth Shaw’s OSHA/MSHA group is at the ABA’s Occupational Safety and Health Law Committee Midwinter Meeting this week....more
Seyfarth Synopsis: OSHA has recently issued a Frequently Asked Questions for General Industry for the Respirable Crystalline Silica Standard. We had noted previously in the blog that most of the provisions of the...more
Shutdown Shame. Today is day 35 of the partial government shutdown, and the political climate in D.C. continues to crater. At least Congress canceled its previously scheduled recess in an attempt to resolve the situation -...more
On January 22, 2019, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to provide guidance to general industry employers on OSHA’s final rule regulating occupational exposure...more
As the calendar pages turn over to a new year, many wonder what to expect from workplace safety and its regulators in 2019. Here’s our run-down of 8 key areas where we expect to see action in the months ahead....more