Government Affairs News

OSHA's new weighting system for inspections is now in effect. Its aim is to focus the agency's enforcement activities on critical areas where it can have the greatest impact.

In its comments in response to an OSHA request for information, ASSP submitted a technical comments supporting the reopening of the agency's lockout/tagout regulation.

ASSP's summary of OSHA's latest regulatory agenda aims to help occupational safety and health professionals with compliance-related planning and preparation.

OSHA is seeking information on a possible update to the Control of Hazardous Energy standard. Specifically, the agency is interested in comments on the use of control circuit-type devices to isolate energy, as well as evolving technology for robotics.

ASSP supports legislation that would require OSHA to develop a standard that would require employers within the healthcare and social services industries to implement a comprehensive workplace violence prevention program.

In comments submitted to several members of House of Representatives, ASSP commented on the Protecting America's Workers (PAW) Act (H.R. 1074). The legislation would amend the OSH Act of 1970.

In May 2018, OSHA issued an internal memorandum outlining the procedures for inspectors to follow when using drones as part of a work site inspection. To date, no link to the document is publicly available.

OSHA has issued a final rule that eliminates the requirement for establishments with 250 or more employees to electronically submit information from OSHA Form 300 and Form 301 each year. These establishments must still maintain those records on-site and must continue to submit information from their Form 300A.

U.S. Department of Labor plans to initiate significant hikes in the civil penalties imposed by OSHA and MSHA that will take affect once the government shutdown ends and the increases can be published in the Federal Register.

OSHA offers a collection of resources to help employers prevent falls in the workplace, the leading cause of worker fatality in the construction industry, including videos, training materials, fact sheets and its annual stand-down campaign.

U.S. Representative Joe Courtney has introduced legislation aimed at curtailing rising rates of on-the-job violence affecting healthcare and social service employees such as nurses, physicians, emergency responders, medical assistants and social service workers.

OSHA is seeking to clarify key provisions of the beryllium standard for general industry, changes it says will simplify compliance while delivering the same level of safety and health protections as the current standard

Department of Labor (DOL) has published its fall 2018 semiannual regulatory agenda covering OSHA and MSHA rulemaking activities forecast for the coming 12 months. Our federal representatives at the Law Office of Adele L. Abrams P.C. have compiled a summary of key issues relevant to OSH professionals.

NIOSH has published a revised National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) for Oil and Gas Extraction. The agenda identifies the knowledge and actions most needed to promote safety and health in the oil and gas extraction industry.

OSHA has published a final rule that clarifies certification requirements for crane operators, and maintains the employer’s duty to ensure that crane operators can safely operate the equipment.

OSHA announced its 2018 Top 10 most frequently cited workplace safety violations. While the list remains largely unchanged, it offers some insight into where employers can make improvements to protect workers.

ASSP recently expressed opposition to the inclusion of language in the House Farm Bill (H.R. 2) that it believes would compromise OSHA's Process Safety Management standard and create risk to workers and the public.

Mine Safety and Health Administration is now enforcing its revised standard governing workplace examination requirements at surface and underground metal/nonmetal mines. Learn what it means for mine operators and contractors.

NIOSH has developed a software designed to help mine operators more immediately measure and response to exposures to respirable crystalline silica.

ASSP and other safety groups want DOL to engage more stakeholders in a proposed rule that would expand the types of jobs young workers can perform.