The Senate’s confirmation earlier this month of Jonathan Snare to serve on the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC) restores its ability to review administrative law judge (ALJ) decisions, although OSHRC still lacks a quorum to make decisions on cases sent for review.
With the Senate’s recent confirmation of David Keeling as the head of OSHA, agency observers are outlining potential regulatory and enforcement changes under the Trump administration, including likely rollbacks of certain reporting requirements and other Biden-era priorities while possibly finalizing some version of a national heat standard.
Employers who face deadlines to contest OSHA citations during the government shutdown should file necessary documents on time even though the agency will be unable to review such challenges until it resumes normal operations, attorneys with the firm Conn Maciel Carey recommend.
OSHA has renewed voluntary worker safety information agreements with solid waste and recycling trade groups as part of its Alliance Program, highlighting a range of areas where the participants will serve as “information intermediaries” aiding the agency in its outreach efforts.
The Labor Department (DOL) is defending an OSHA citation that ExxonMobil failed to properly record the mental health diagnosis of an employee following a December 2021 explosion and fire at the company’s Baytown, TX, complex, telling a federal appeals court the agency’s actions are clearly supported by the OSH Act.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.