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OSHA seeking labor union rep for advisory committee on federal workers

Washington — OSHA is accepting nominations for a vacancy on its Federal Advisory Council on Occupational Safety and Health.




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OSHA advisory committee to meet in May

Washington — OSHA’s National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health has scheduled a virtual meeting for May 7.




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Call for nominations: OSHA’s national advisory committee

Washington — OSHA is seeking nominations for membership on its National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health.




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OSHA advisory committee to meet in September

Washington — OSHA’s National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health has scheduled a virtual meeting for Sept. 9.




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OSHA’s rule on walking/working surfaces under OMB review

Washington – After more than two decades in development, OSHA’s final rule on walking/working surfaces to address slips, trips and falls is under White House review.




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Withdrawn from OMB review: OSHA’s rule on slips, trips and falls

Washington – OSHA has withdrawn from review its final rule addressing slip, trip and fall hazards – potentially creating further delay in the rule’s promulgation after more than two decades in development.




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Michigan OSHA issues hazard alert about working near ice

Lansing, MI – Even though winter is in its final weeks, workers need to keep taking proper precautions around ice, Michigan OSHA states in a hazard alert released in February.




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GAO: Staffing shortfalls plague state-run OSHA programs

Washington – State-run OSHA programs face staffing challenges in part because of budget cuts, and federal OSHA should provide better access to training and deadlines for taking over troubled state programs, concludes a new report from the Government Accountability Office.




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SCOTUS decision may have ramifications for OSHA and MSHA

Washington — A recent Supreme Court decision could affect how legal disputes with OSHA or the Mine Safety and Health Administration are settled.




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OSHA requests input on ‘consortium’ model for online training

Washington — OSHA is seeking public comment as it considers a new online delivery model for its Outreach Training Program.




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OSHA announces almost $22 million in training grants

Washington — OSHA has made available nearly $22 million in grants aimed at improving worker safety and health training.




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MIOSHA offering free streaming video on hospitality safety

Lansing, MI – Free videos offering safety tips and best practices for employers in the accommodations industry will be available to stream as part of a pilot program from the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration.




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Cal/OSHA unanimously approves standard to protect hotel housekeepers

Oakland, CA — Hospitality workers are praising the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board for unanimously approving a standard designed to protect housekeepers from workplace hazards.




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COVID-19 pandemic: OSHA releases guidance for food and beverage industry

Washington — Aimed at protecting restaurant/food and beverage workers from exposure to COVID-19, a new OSHA safety alert lists measures employers should take during the pandemic.




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OSHA seeks volunteers to assist small business panel on emergency response

Washington — OSHA is planning to convene a small business panel on Oct. 4 to discuss a potential standard on emergency response, the Small Business Administration has announced.




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OSHA proposed rule on emergency response set for publication

Washington — OSHA is eyeing January for publication of a proposed update to its standard on emergency response to expand safety and health protections for first responders.




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OSHA publishes ‘comprehensive’ proposed rule on emergency response

Washington — OSHA is seeking to “address the full range of hazards currently facing emergency responders” via a recently released proposed rule.




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OSHA extends comment period on proposed rule for emergency responders

Washington — OSHA has extended until June 21 the comment period on proposed updates to its emergency response standard.




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More time to comment on OSHA’s proposed rule for emergency responders

Washington — Comments on proposed updates to OSHA’s emergency response standard are now due July 22.




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OSHA hearing on emergency response standard set for Nov. 12

Washington — OSHA has scheduled a public hearing on proposed updates to its emergency response standard.




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OSHA issues bulletin on carbon monoxide explosion hazards in electric arc furnaces

Washington – OSHA has released a bulletin with information on how to protect workers from carbon monoxide explosion hazards related to electric arc furnaces in the steelmaking industry.




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Coalition to OSHA: Don’t allow union reps at inspections of non-union workplaces

Washington – A coalition of industry groups has called for OSHA to withdraw a recent letter of interpretation stating that workers at a non-union workplace may designate someone affiliated with a union as their representative during OSHA “walkaround” inspections.




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OSHA rescinds ‘walkaround rule'

Washington – OSHA has changed its policy on allowing employees at non-union workplaces to choose a union-affiliated representative for “walkaround” inspections, according to an April 25 memo sent to regional administrators.




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DOL: Unions should not intervene in lawsuit against OSHA recordkeeping rule

Washington – The Department of Labor and OSHA have an “identical” interest with labor unions in defending a legal challenge to the Improve Tracking of Workplace Illnesses and Injuries final rule, making union intervention unnecessary, attorneys representing DOL said in a legal brief issued May 30.




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Coronavirus pandemic: Nurses union calls on OSHA to issue emergency standard

Silver Spring, MD — In response to the outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19), the nation’s largest union and professional association of direct care registered nurses is petitioning OSHA to issue an emergency temporary standard to protect frontline workers, patients and the public from the potentially deadly respiratory illness.




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AFL-CIO sues OSHA in effort to force emergency standard

Washington — The AFL-CIO has filed a lawsuit against OSHA and the Department of Labor, asking a federal court to require OSHA to issue an emergency temporary standard on infectious disease amid the evolving COVID-19 pandemic.




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Court rejects AFL-CIO lawsuit to force OSHA to issue an emergency temporary standard

Washington — The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on June 11 rejected an AFL-CIO lawsuit calling on the Department of Labor and OSHA to issue an emergency temporary standard on infectious diseases amid the evolving COVID-19 pandemic.




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Health care worker unions sue Scalia, OSHA for shelving infectious diseases standard

San Francisco — The Washington State Nurses Association is among four labor unions suing Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia and OSHA in an effort to compel the agency to move forward with rulemaking on an infectious diseases standard that would require employers in the health care industry to protect workers from exposure to harmful infectious diseases such as COVID-19, Ebola and influenza.




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Coalition sues OSHA in effort to force permanent standard on COVID-19 for health care workers

Washington — The AFL-CIO and National Nurses United are part of a coalition of labor unions and organizations that has filed a lawsuit against the Department of Labor and OSHA, petitioning a federal court to direct the agency to issue a permanent standard on COVID-19 focused on health care workers.




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Workers Memorial Day: OSHA to host ceremony; AFL-CIO releases report

Washington — OSHA and the Mine Safety and Health Administration have scheduled a national Workers Memorial Day ceremony for April 27 at the Department of Labor headquarters.




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OSHA launches initiative on temporary workers

Washington – OSHA has launched an initiative to help ensure temporary workers are better protected.




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Temp workers in construction need separate OSHA guidance, staffing association says

Washington – OSHA should consider developing separate guidance for the construction industry on best practices pertaining to temporary workers, stakeholders suggested to an advisory committee workgroup that met May 7.




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OSHA issues memo on temporary worker safety

Washington – OSHA recently sent a memo about its Temporary Worker Initiative to regional administrators.




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NIOSH, OSHA release temp-worker guidance document

Washington – Staffing firms and host employers looking to better protect temporary workers from job hazards can now review recommended practices in a guidance document issued Aug. 25 by NIOSH and OSHA.




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OSHA highlights 2 fatal events, offers tips on avoiding future incidents

Washington – Two new resources from OSHA detail worker fatalities involving electrocution and engulfment and explain how similar events can be prevented.




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New fact sheets from Cal/OSHA detail worker rights, temp worker requirements

Oakland, CA – Two new fact sheets from the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health, also known as Cal/OSHA, outline worker safety rights and employer requirements for protecting temporary workers.




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OSHA video focuses on temporary worker safety

Washington – Both host employers and staffing firms are responsible for protecting temporary workers, OSHA administrator David Michaels stresses in a recently released video.




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Temp worker safety: New OSHA bulletins clarify training, hazcom requirements

Washington – As part of its Temporary Worker Initiative, OSHA has released guidance documents intended to clarify training requirements and hazard communication responsibilities for employers of temporary workers.




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Got ideas to ‘Beat the Heat’? OSHA wants to know

Washington — OSHA has launched a national competition for the best tools and resources on the dangers of heat exposure – indoors and outdoors – at work.




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OSHA advisory committee to meet in May

Washington — The National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health has scheduled a public meeting for May 31.




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Learn more about OSHA’s ‘Beat the Heat’ contest

Washington — OSHA has scheduled a free webinar on its Beat the Heat contest.




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Public Citizen calls for an OSHA heat standard

Washington — An OSHA standard aimed at protecting workers from extreme heat exposure could prevent at least 50,000 injuries and illnesses annually, a watchdog group contends.




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OSHA receives feedback on possible heat standard, asks for more

Washington — OSHA’s proposed rule on protecting workers from extreme heat exposure in indoor and outdoor settings is progressing toward potential publication – and the agency wants feedback.




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‘Dire threat’: Lawmakers call for an OSHA heat standard

Washington — A group of Democratic lawmakers is pressing OSHA for the “fastest possible implementation” of a standard on protecting workers from extreme heat exposure.




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OSHA wants to hear from small businesses on potential heat standard

Washington — OSHA is asking representatives from small businesses, as well as local governments and nonprofit organizations, to weigh in on how a standard to protect workers from heat illness would affect small entities.




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Heat illness prevention: New resources from OSHA

Washington — A new OSHA fact sheet and sticker are intended to raise awareness of heat illness prevention strategies in the workplace.




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OSHA crowns ‘Beat the Heat’ contest winners

Washington — OSHA has announced the winners of its national competition challenging stakeholders to submit the best tools and resources on the dangers of heat exposure – indoors and outdoors – at work.




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OSHA reopens comment period on possible heat standard

Washington — OSHA says it’s allowing more time for stakeholders to comment on a proposed rule aimed at protecting workers from extreme heat exposure in indoor and outdoor settings.




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Prevent heat-related illnesses during pregnancy: New tip sheet from OSHA

Washington — OSHA has published a new resource on how best to protect pregnant workers from heat-related illnesses.




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New OSHA resource: Heat exposure and personal risk factors

Washington — Certain personal risk factors increase workers’ risk for heat-related injury and illness, OSHA cautions.