The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) has agreed to extend by 30 days the comment period for five of 18 rules it recently proposed, although stakeholders have asked for a 60-day extension for all the rules and noted the challenge of providing meaningful comments on so many proposals at the same time.
November 15, 2026
The 5th Circuit has rejected arguments from a poultry company that OSHA erred in issuing citations for machine-guarding and safety signage violations, finding no reason to set aside an administrative law judge’s determinations that the citations were in order.
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The Labor Department (DOL) is touting new and expanded programs aimed at helping employers improve their compliance with federal health and safety laws, saying these self-audit programs aim to enhance worker protections while reducing the likelihood of formal investigations or litigation.
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Attorneys are urging employers to closely examine the state of machine guarding in their facilities and thoroughly evaluate their lockout/tagout (LOTO) programs ahead of any potential OSHA inspection under a renewed emphasis program focused on preventing amputations in manufacturing workplaces.
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A federal district court judge has rejected for the second time South Carolina’s attempt to prevent OSHA from requiring states to match annual increases to federal minimum and maximum OSH Act penalties, agreeing with the agency that the state failed to provide a viable claim and that some claims were time-barred.
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The Labor Department (DOL) is urging a federal district court to dismiss a New Jersey steel company’s lawsuit raising a series of constitutional and statutory claims against the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC), arguing none have merit.
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House and Senate Democrats have introduced legislation seeking to force OSHA to issue a federal heat injury and illness standard and to explicitly authorize the agency to update the standard as technology improves or heat-related hazards worsen.
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Republican House lawmakers used a July 16 hearing to tout OSHA’s long-standing Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) and highlight renewed efforts to codify VPP, while Democrats emphasized the need for continued enforcement of mandatory rules and decried the Trump administration’s deregulatory focus.
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OSHA’s announcement of significant changes to its enforcement policy that expand the scope of employers eligible for penalty reductions is drawing mixed reactions, with employer attorneys noting it is one of the most employer-friendly shifts in recent years while labor advocates are warning of more injuries, illnesses and deaths.
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The United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) is seeking an additional 60 days to review 17 regulatory proposals the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) published in the Federal Register earlier this month, saying the agency’s 30-day comment period is not enough time to provide meaningful input.
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