OSHA
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Category archives for OSHA
Precarious work arrangements deserves attention and action by new Secretary of Labor
Posted by Celeste Monforton, DrPH, MPH of George Washington University School of Public Health & Health Services on January 15, 2013 The report, “At the company’s mercy,” should serve as the new Secretary of Labor’s roadmap to improve working conditions for temporary and other precarious workers.
Delays continue in Obama Administration on new worker safety protections
Posted by Celeste Monforton, DrPH, MPH of George Washington University School of Public Health & Health Services on January 8, 2013 With five days left in calendar year 2012, the Obama Administration released its current regulatory plan and agenda, including new rules addressing health and safety hazards in workplaces. Neither OSHA nor MSHA have a good track record predicting when such rules will actually be completed.
Top notch job by OSHA staff to globally harmonize labels and datasheets for chemicals
Posted by The Pump Handle on January 4, 2013 The OSHA staff responsible to modernizing the agency’s chemical right-to-know regulation with global standards deserve credit for completing the rule itself. Unlike other federal agencies, they also create a meaningful public record documenting who said what about the proposed changes to labeling and safety data sheet requirements. (Re-post)
Worker safety rule stuck in White House black hole, disease risk persists
Posted by The Pump Handle on December 24, 2012 Many months have passed since the Labor Department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sent to the White House’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) a draft proposed regulation designed to protect workers who are exposed to respirable crystalline silica. (Re-post)
New DOT policy promises better health and safety protections for flight attendants
Posted by Celeste Monforton, DrPH, MPH of George Washington University School of Public Health & Health Services on December 10, 2012 After three decades, the FAA has finally acknowledged that its regulations to protect the health and safety of flight attendants are not adequate. A new policy—barring major objections from the airlines—-will extend OSHA protections to airline flight attendants.
First-of-its-kind survey compiles the experience of domestic workers, highlights the grim nature of an unregulated industry
Posted by The Pump Handle on December 7, 2012 The collective experience of domestic workers — house cleaners, nannies and caregivers — often remains hidden from view. But a new survey has pulled back the curtain on the conditions and experiences domestic workers face, documenting issues such as wage exploitation, preventable on-the-job injuries and the little — if any — power domestic workers have in improving their work environments.
Seven worker safety rules remain stuck, stalled, “under review” in Obama White House
Posted by Celeste Monforton, DrPH, MPH of George Washington University School of Public Health & Health Services on November 20, 2012 Seven new worker safety regulations–both proposed and final rules—are stuck in the Obama White House. One proposed rule has been “under review” for 645 days.
Worker loses scalp in unguarded machine, her first week on-the-job, employer contests OSHA violation
Posted by Celeste Monforton, DrPH, MPH of George Washington University School of Public Health & Health Services on November 13, 2012 Monica Thayer, 25, nearly lost her life when she was pulled hair-first into a machine at JR Engineering. She lost her scalp and spent three weeks in the hospital. Her employer doesn’t think it is responsible and is challenging OSHA’s $7,000 penalty.
Worker safety wishlist for Obama’s second term
Posted by Celeste Monforton, DrPH, MPH of George Washington University School of Public Health & Health Services on November 7, 2012 Now that the Presidential election is over, it’s time for the Labor Department to kick into high gear expand workers’ rights and ensuring workers’ lives and health are protected. Here’s my wish list of tasks for the Labor Department to accomplish in the next 6 months:
Explosion in January at Oklahoma oil rig hospitalized four workers, employer pays $6,700 OSHA penalty
Posted by Celeste Monforton, DrPH, MPH of George Washington University School of Public Health & Health Services on October 16, 2012 Several workers were injured when a January explosion rocked El Dorado Drilling’s Logan Rig #7 in Logan County, Oklahoma. The company said “these things happen,” but accident investigators know otherwise.