Just in time for the Winter Solstice, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration ("OSHA") issued a press release on December 21, 2011, advising that the agency launched a web page devoted to hazards workers may face during winter storm response and recovery operations.
Continue Reading...Although the data for 2011 is not yet final, OSHA expects problems related to employees falling off scaffolds, roofs, ladders, and other high places to be the top violations cited in 2011. In addition, the most frequently violated standard subsection is expected to be the rule covering residential construction (29 C.F.R. Section 1926.501(b)(13)). Other top violations are expected to include: hazard communication; respiratory protection; lockout/tagout; electrical, wiring methods; powered industrial trucks; electrical, general requirements; and machine guarding.
Continue Reading...On September 9, 2011, OSHA announced that it has begun its 2011 Site-Specific Targeting (“SST”) Program, a targeted enforcement effort under which it will conduct comprehensive inspections of worksites across the country. OSHA will select worksites for inspection based on injury and illness data for 2009 collected by OSHA in 2010.
In April 2011, OSHA selected about 14,600 worksites that may receive SST inspections based upon their injury rates, and sent each of these worksites a letter informing them of a possible future inspection. From that initial list, OSHA designated approximately 3,700 worksites as “primary” inspection targets, and directed OSHA Area Offices to inspect those sites first. Although the list of approximately 3,700 worksites has not been published by OSHA, it is possible for an employer to determine whether it is on the list by following these steps:
On September 8, 2011, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued its first ever Compliance Directive to address workplace violence. In the past, OSHA had issued citations to employers for exposing their employees to workplace violence -- until Administrative Law Judge Nancy Spies issued her decision in the Megawest Financial case in 1995. In that case, OSHA attempted to use the General Duty Clause of the Occupational Safety and Health Act—which imposes a duty upon employers to keep their workplaces free of “recognized hazards”—to argue that because there had been earlier attacks on employees by tenants of an apartment complex, the employer was liable when employees were again attacked by tenants. Judge Spies rejected that argument, finding the Act was not intended to “police social behavior” and that employers may reasonably believe “that the institution to which society has traditionally relegated control of violent criminal conduct, i.e., the police, can appropriately handle the [violent criminal] conduct.” Since then, OSHA has issued few workplace violence citations.
Judge Spies is now retired, and OSHA is taking another bite at the apple. OSHA’s new directive contains a laundry list of recommendations for “all industries and administrative workplaces.” These include conducting a workplace violence hazard analysis, revising the physical plan of the workplace, training employees, and implementing “engineering controls” that may even include hiring a security consultant.
Employers are required to keep their workplace free of “recognized hazards,” but inherent in that requirement is the assumption that employers can control the condition for which it may be cited. For this reason, OSHA’s attempt to hold employers liable for violent, criminal acts of third parties—who are beyond the control of employers—is troubling.
OSHA recently released a free application for mobile devices that is intended to enable workers and supervisors to monitor the heat index at their work sites in order to prevent heat-related illnesses. The Secretary of Labor, Hilda Solis commented, “Summer heat presents a serious issue that affects some of the most vulnerable workers in our country, and education is critical to keeping them safe.” The application, which is available in English and Spanish, combines heat index data from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration with the user’s location to determine necessary protective measures. The application also provides information for supervisors on how to gradually build up the workload for employees and tips on identifying signs and symptoms of heat-related illnesses. The application further permits users to contact OSHA directly. The application is designed for devices using an Android platform. OSHA intends to release versions for BlackBerry and iPhone users shortly.
OSHA’s renewed focus on heat-related illnesses is a good reminder that the law generally requires employers to take various proactive measures to protect employees working in the heat, including, but not limited to, providing plenty of water, scheduling rests breaks in the shade or air-conditioned spaces, planning heavy work early in the day, preparing for medical emergencies, gradually building up work for new employees, and training employees on hazards related to heat illnesses. Information for employers about using the heat index to calculate and address risks posed to workers also is available through OSHA's new Web-based tool "Using the Heat Index: Employer Guidance." OSHA's other educational and training tools about heat illnesses prevention, available in English and Spanish, can be found here.
Earlier this month OSHA announced that it will restructure the agency’s Whistleblower Protection Program. The changes come in response to a Government Accounting Office report that was critical of the way OSHA responded to whistleblower complaints (including inconsistent practices at the Regional level and the need for more training of inspectors). In response, OSHA has revamped the program to include the following changes: (1) a requirement that investigators interview the complainant in all cases; (2) having the program report directly to the Assistant Secretary; (3) several new training initiatives (including a national whistleblower training conference in September which will be attended by all whistleblower investigators; and (4) issuing a new edition of the Whistleblower Investigations Manual that updates current procedures and includes information on the new laws enacted (the manual was last updated in 2003).
The agency has also made a $6.1 million budget request for fiscal year 2012 to add 45 new whistleblower investigators. The significant backlog of cases in its system is a recurring criticism of OSHA’s program. David Michaels, the Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health, announced that the agency has eliminated the backlog of 150+ appeals and that the changes just announced should make the initial complaint intake and case processing more efficient.
When an OSHA citation goes to the very heart of a business--such as requiring delivery-company employees never to place boxes on the floor while sorting them for shipment--it is sometimes best to enter into a corporate-wide settlement agreement (CSA), so both OSHA and the company have clearly defined expectations of what methods and workplace conditions will or will not lead to a citation. But companies must be careful. Failure to follow the terms of a CSA can create even greater liability. The largest OSHA citation in history--over $50 million dollars--was not a new citation, but rather a citation issued to BP in 2009 for failure to adhere to a CSA it had entered into in 2005. BP eventually agreed to pay the entire amount of the citation, and also agreed to spend $500 million more on a comprehensive safety and health program.
Why bring this up now? Last week, OSHA--without announcement or fanfare--issued a new directive regarding CSAs that are both national and regional in scope. The directive states that CSAs may "go ... beyond the subject of the citations to include additional safety and health program enhancements" that were not the reason for the inspection or citation. CSAs may require employers to hire additional safety and health employees, or hire safety and health independent consultants to provide recommendations--but when a company does so, it may cede control to such consultants, as it generally must implement the recommendations or be subject to a failure-to-abate citation. The new directive also sets a firm two-year time limit for CSAs. This firm time limit gives employers less time to make the agreed-upon changes before being subject to failure-to-abate citations.
A CSA may be the best outcome for both the employer and OSHA following a citation, but employers should be aware of the risks associated with CSAs before suggesting it as an alternative to litigation.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has been making significant efforts to educate the Latino workforce regarding safe work practices, OSHA’s safety and health regulations, and workers’ rights. This initiative began in force in April of 2010, when OSHA held the first National Action Summit for Latino Worker Health and Safety in Houston, Texas. Over 1,000 people attended the summit, the stated goal of which was “[r]educing injuries and illnesses among Latino workers by enhancing knowledge of their workplace rights and improving their ability to exercise those rights.” Workshops included topics such as “Innovative Partnerships and Effective Education for Latino Workers: Focus on Latino Construction Workers,” and “Workers’ Rights Under OSHA and DOL: Focus on Construction Hazards.”
Since that initial national summit, OSHA has held several regional summits, including one in northern New Jersey in July, 2010, and another in New York City in November. The latter summit featured a 15-minute skit entitled “How to File an OSHA Complaint.” In February, 2011, OSHA held a summit in Oakland, California, that was featured on the evening Telemundo and Univision newscasts throughout the entire San Francisco Bay Area. Future OSHA summits are scheduled for southern New Jersey and Philadelphia in April. The April 10, New Jersey summit is entitled “Making a Difference: Learn about Your Worker Rights and How to Voice Concerns When Those Rights are Violated.”
When a federal agency like the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) wants to make new rules, it is supposed to engage in formal, “notice-and-comment” rulemaking: it first publishes a proposed rule, allows the public to submit comments, and then issues a final rule, which may or may not contain revisions based on the comments. Formal notice and comment rulemaking is time consuming and places significant administrative burdens on the agency.
In the last year, OSHA has avoided the formal rulemaking process by taking informal actions under the guise of enforcement policies. For example, in November 2009 it issued a “Fact Sheet” of specific measures that all retail stores should implement to protect their employees from unruly customers. Earlier this year, OSHA issued an open letter to employers stating that the Agency will issue a citation to any company whose work requirements encourage employees to text while they drive.
On October 22, 2010, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) announced that it has begun its 2010 Site-Specific Targeting (“SST”) Program, which will conduct comprehensive inspections of worksites across the country. It is incumbent upon employers to know how OSHA selects the worksites that will be inspected, and whether their worksites will be included in this targeted enforcement effort.
OSHA selects worksites to inspect based upon injury and illness data that is reported to OSHA. For the inspection year that has begun, OSHA’s selections depend upon injury and illness data for calendar year 2008 that was collected by OSHA in 2009. Thus, employers will be inspected over the next year, into 2011, based on data that was collected in 2008.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (“OSHA”) Outreach Training Program courses are taught by independent trainers and focus on construction or general industry safety and health hazard recognition and prevention. Over the past three years, over 1.6 million students have received training through this voluntary program. In an October 27, 2010 News Release, OSHA announced that it has revised its policy for all Outreach Training Programs to limit the number of hours each day a student may spend in OSHA 10 and 30-hour training classes. Effective immediately, OSHA now requires trainers to limit classes to a maximum of 7 ½ hours per day. The 10-hour courses must be conducted over a minimum of two days and the 30-hour courses must be conducted over at least four days.
Over the past two years, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) has sought to expand significantly the reach of the General Duty Clause by issuing citations to employers for workplace violence and ergonomics issues. This expansion will soon reach another area: distracted driving. The agency plans to issue General Duty Clause citations to companies whose employees text while driving. This promise comes directly from the Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA David Michaels: "When OSHA receives a credible complaint that an employer requires texting while driving or who organizes work so that texting is a practical necessity, we will investigate and where necessary issue citations and penalties to end this practice." If you have employees who respond to hundreds of e-mails a day, with rapid response times required, and who frequently or occasionally travel during work time as part of their duties, you may receive a visit or an inquiry from OSHA. The impact on employers could be significant. According to a recent Pew Research Poll, 27% percent of all adults admit to texting while driving. Most troubling is the assertion that the agency will cite employers that "create incentives that encourage or condone" texting while driving. Employers that do not "condone" the practice may still receive citations if the agency concludes that an employer that expects fast responses to calls or e-mails thereby "encourages" employees who are driving to respond to texts or e-mails, instead of using a hands-free device or pulling off the road.
Employers can most effectively protect themselves from this enforcement effort by implementing and enforcing strong policies against the practice of texting while driving. Employees should be required to sign a policy explicitly stating they agree not to text while driving during work time, either as part of an employee handbook or when they receive any company-issued cell phone or texting device. Further, any employees found to be texting while driving during work time should be disciplined, up to and including termination.
An employer that has entered into a settlement agreement with OSHA, or that has been found in violation of OSHA regulations or the general duty clause--either by order of an Administrative Law Judge or as a consequence of accepting a citation--should adhere to all provisions of any agreement, and abate all cited conditions. An OSHA Area Office may assess a failure to abate penalty of up to $7,000 per citation item per day for each day the condition is not abated. Normally, the maximum time period is 30 days, for a maximum penalty per citation item of $210,000, but that time period may be increased in exceptional circumstances.
Last week, OSHA issued citations of over $200,000 each to two New York businesses. The first, totaling $210,000, was issued to Broadway Corp., doing business as Broadway Concrete, for failing to abide by a settlement agreement entered into after first receiving a citation for lack of fall protection back in 2008. OSHA conducted a follow-on inspection in January of this year, and in the new citation alleges that Broadway Concrete performed work at eight sites in New York City without adequate fall protection, in violation of the settlement agreement. The second citation issued last week, totaling $247,000, was issued to U.F.S. Industries, doing business as Sally Sherman Foods, for failing to abate conditions previously cited--lack of fall protection, machine guarding, and inadequate lockout/tagout--following a prior inspection at its Mount Vernon facility.
New York Area Offices have recently issued several other high-penalty failure-to-abate citations, suggesting that this may signal a new direction in enforcement in Region 2 (which includes New York and New Jersey):
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) may be considering an update of its list of permissible exposure limits (PELs) for many regulated chemicals and recognized air contaminants. According to BNA’s Daily Labor Report, at the May 26, 2010 American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Expo in Denver, OSHA Administrator David Michaels told the group that the Agency is in the process of assembling a task force to examine the possibility of updating current PELs. Most of the PELs have remain unchanged since first being set by OSHA in 1971, and revising the limits may be easier said than done. Because of that difficulty, Administrator Michaels urged that “all of us in the occupational safety and health community have to engage in support of this process because it is a very difficult one.”
This is not the Agency’s first attempt at implementing PEL revisions, and a prior attempt was not successful. By way of background, an employer is required under the “General Duty Clause” of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 to “furnish to each of his employees employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm.” The Act also requires employers to “comply with occupational safety and health standards promulgated” by OSHA. Pursuant to this authority, OSHA promulgated numerous PELs for air contaminants in 1971; these standards are organized into three industries: general industry, shipyard employment, and the construction industry.
The U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration (“OSHA”) recently launched an enforcement initiative focused on identifying employers who underreport workplace injuries and illnesses. This initiative—which OSHA has classified as a National Emphasis Program (“NEP”)—was prompted by recent government reports which found that a high percentage of workplace injuries and illnesses are not being reported by employers. Accordingly, employers should be mindful of the NEP, and that OSHA has made clear that its investigators will be paying particularly close attention to workplace policies and practices which have the effect of discouraging employees from reporting their job-related injuries and illnesses.
Continue Reading...Enter keywords:
Add this blog to your feeds or put your e-mail in the box below and hit GO to subscribe by e-mail.