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Skip to main content HOME NEWS Daily News Documents TOPICS Chemical Safety Congress Electronic Recordkeeping Emerging Safety Issues Enforcement Facility Safety Infectious Diseases Litigation Regulatory Reform Rulemaking Silica State Actions Whistleblower Protections ABOUT US About Inside OSHA Privacy Policy Terms and Conditions Log in December 31, 2020 Homepage UAW Urges Stricter View Of PV29 Workplace Risks In EPA Assessment The United Auto Workers (UAW) is pushing EPA to tighten its assessment of workplace risks from pigment violet 29 (PV29), arguing that the agency’s draft evaluation of the chemical underestimates the dangers of worker exposures, especially amid a respirator shortage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Latest News NIOSH Chief Warns Against Strict Application Of COVID-19 Guidance National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Director John Howard is warning employers against strictly applying guidance NIOSH issued with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on reducing workplace COVID-19 infections, saying new research on the virus can render such guides “stale.” OSHA Urged To Weigh ‘Prevention Through Design’ For Truck Standard OSHA is facing calls from public commenters to adopt a “prevention through design” (PtD) approach for its powered truck safety standard and incorporate several related data-gathering requirements in the rule based on an existing federal program that so far has focused mainly on building safety. OSHA Seeks Construction Safety Panel Nominees Ahead Of Transition OSHA is seeking nominees to its Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health (ACCSH) as 14 of the panel’s 15 members near the expiration of their two-year terms, opening the possibility that the agency’s current leaders could appoint ACCSH’s new membership ahead of the transition to the Biden administration. OSHA Plans Inspections Of Employers With Past-Due Monetary Penalties OSHA is rolling out a new enforcement initiative that will automatically ramp up inspections of employers that fail to pay monetary penalties for past violations, as part of a broader Department of Labor (DOL) push to bolster its debt collection programs. OSHA Inks Partnership With Cell Tower Contractors Targeting 5G Boom OSHA has announced its latest sector-specific partnership program, targeting worker safety conditions at wireless infrastructure like cellular towers in a bid to “eliminate” injuries and fatalities from a host of hazards just as many communications companies are looking to build new infrastructure that supports 5G cellular service. Congress’ Final COVID Recovery Bill Sidesteps Employer Liability Reform Lawmakers have agreed to a short-term COVID-19 recovery package that drops both Republicans’ demand for employer liability waivers and Democrats’ proposed aid to state and local governments, teeing up a potential return to that long-running battle in the early days of President-elect Joe Biden’s term. Business Groups Sue Cal/OSHA To Block COVID-19 Worker Safety ETS Several employers and national business groups are suing California OSHA (Cal/OSHA) over its recently adopted COVID-19 emergency temporary standard (ETS), claiming in part that a mandate to provide paid leave for sick or exposed workers exceeds the agency’s authority, and that the rulemaking sidestepped key procedural requirements. OSHA Adds New DART Criteria To Workplace Inspection Targeting Plan OSHA is updating its Site-Specific Targeting (SST) workplace inspection program to add new criteria for inspecting employers based on increases in days away, restricted or transferred (DART) among their employees, and to allow inspectors to make a case-by-case decision to switch site inspections to records reviews “in limited situations.” Worker Safety Groups Say Biden’s Policy On Line-Speed Rules Unclear Worker safety groups say there is no guarantee the Biden administration will drop an upcoming Department of Agriculture (USDA) proposal that would allow poultry slaughterhouses to raise line speeds to what they say are unsafe levels, especially since it is based on a plan first floated by incoming Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. Free Trial Sign up for one month of free, no-obligation access to InsideOSHAOnline.com. FEATURED STORY On OSHA’s 50th Anniversary, Biden Vows Quick Action On COVID ETS For OSHA’s 50th anniversary, President-elect Joe Biden is renewing his pledge to quickly direct the agency to consider whether to issue an emergency temporary standard (ETS) that would mandate workplace COVID-19 protections for employees, while also vowing to ramp up OSHA’s enforcement efforts and staffing levels. Topics Chemical Safety UAW Urges Stricter View Of PV29 Workplace Risks In EPA Assessment OSHA Finalizes Beryllium Rule For Two Sectors, Teeing Up Potential Suit OSHA Finalizes Revisions To ‘General Industry’ Beryllium Standards Industry Groups Eye Reauthorization Of Chemical Facility Security Program Congress Congress’ Final COVID Recovery Bill Sidesteps Employer Liability Reform Hill Moderates’ COVID Plan Splits Employer Liability Waivers, Funding Democrats Eye Short-Term COVID-19 Bill With Temporary Liability Waiver Democratic Senators Press MSHA On Long-Delayed Silica Rule Update Litigation Business Groups Sue Cal/OSHA To Block COVID-19 Worker Safety ETS California AG Petitions State Court For Amazon Worker Safety, COVID Data OSHRC To Weigh OSHA’s Burden Of Proof For General Duty Clause Workers’ Enforcement Suit Says OSHA Ignored Virus Distancing Guide Regulatory Reform OSHA Finalizes Beryllium Rule For Two Sectors, Teeing Up Potential Suit Senate Confirms OIRA’s Ray Over Objections Of Worker Safety Advocates 9th Circuit Rejects Long-Running Suit Seeking To Limit Or Overturn CRA OSHA Eyes EPA’s ‘Race To The Top’ Model For Firms’ Worker Safety Efforts FEATURES Daily News Documents ABOUT About Us/Pricing Privacy Policy Terms and Conditions TOPICS Chemical Safety Congress Electronic Recordkeeping Emerging Safety Issues Enforcement Facility Safety Infectious Diseases Litigation Regulatory Reform Rulemaking Silica State Actions Whistleblower Protections Inside OSHA is a subscription-fee-based daily online news service from Inside Washington Publishers. 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