Workplace safety
Worker cannot revoke agreement to add medical pot
An injured worker cannot revoke a workers compensation compromise and release agreement he made with his employer to obtain medical marijuana that became legal in the state two years after the agreement was made.
Amazon urges end to suit over COVID-19 standards at warehouses
Amazon.com Inc. on Wednesday pressed a New York judge to dismiss a lawsuit by state Attorney General Letitia James claiming the online retailer failed to ensure worker safety at two New York City warehouses as COVID-19 infections surged.
OSHA cites contractor following fatal trench collapse
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has proposed $110,590 in penalties to a company conducting underground utility work after an investigation found that it exposed workers to cave-in hazards, leading to one worker’s death in January.
Fleets ramping up training on marijuana impairment
As more states legalize or decriminalize the use of marijuana, commercial fleet operators around the country are ramping up their reasonable suspicion training as a way to manage the risk of drivers operating vehicles under the influence of the drug, experts say.
Railcar cleaning firm admits safety lapses related to worker deaths
The owners of a railcar cleaning service pleaded guilty Monday in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, to charges stemming from an investigation into a 2015 railcar explosion that killed two workers, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice.
Metal fabricator fined $200K for machine, noise hazards
A Milwaukee metal fabricating facility has been fined more than $200,000 for failing to address harmful machine and noise hazards, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced Tuesday.
NCCI will treat COVID-19 as catastrophic comp event
The COVID-19 pandemic will be treated as a catastrophic event in workers compensation loss cost/rate filings, according to the National Council on Compensation Insurance.
Advocacy group seeks to reinstate OSHA electronic reporting rule
A nonprofit consumer advocacy organization has asked the Biden administration and Occupational Safety and Health Administration to reinstate a workplace injury and illness tracking rule that took effect during the Obama administration.
Most workers want vaccine proof: Survey
Seventy-two percent of working Americans surveyed feel that employers should require proof of vaccination in order to return to work. In surveying 1,378 Americans on the ideal work environment, the media company Digital Third Coast also found that 43% prefer staggered schedules and 34% would prefer more outdoor spaces for work. Other key findings include that 27% […]
Police officer’s PTSD not compensable
An appeals court in Arizona on Friday ruled that a City of Tucson Police Department officer’s post-traumatic stress disorder claim is not compensable, affirming an Industrial Commission’s ruling that he failed to show “unexpected, unusual or extraordinary” stress, as required by state law. The officer, beginning in August 2000, received several months of training with […]
OSHA releases updated safety guidance for all industries
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration on Thursday updated its guidance for all industries, closely mirroring what is currently in place in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidelines.
Pharma, biotech manufacturer cited in deaths
An Eatontown, New Jersey, manufacturer has been fined $13,653 for allegedly failing to protect employees adequately from workplace exposure to COVID-19 following two deaths.
Roofing company faces $1.2M in fines for fall violations
A Washington roofing company faces fines of $1.2 million from the Washington Department of Labor & Industries for allegedly repeatedly putting its workers at risk, the department said in a statement Thursday.
NY legislature passes bill to change workers comp attorneys fees
The New York Assembly on Thursday passed legislation that would tie attorneys fees to the weekly compensation awarded to workers or a percentage of the worker’s compensation.
NSC, Amazon partner on musculoskeletal disorders
The National Safety Council and Amazon.com Inc. announced a five-year partnership on Thursday aimed at creating new ways to prevent musculoskeletal disorders among workers.
Revisions to Cal/OSHA emergency temporary standard withdrawn
The California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board unanimously voted Wednesday night to withdraw revisions to the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health’s COVID-19 emergency temporary standard seven days after they were approved.
OSHA’s long-awaited ETS only applies to health care workers
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration on Thursday released the details of its long-awaited Emergency Temporary Standard, which it says will only apply to health care workers.
OSHA plans to tackle infectious disease standard in 2022
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s stalled infectious disease standard could get a boost next year with the agency seeking to increase its budget for rulemaking by more than 50%.
NFL to pay $1M for research on cannabinoid impact on players
The National Football League and the NFL Players Association Pain Management Committee announced a request for proposals for medical researchers to investigate the effect of cannabinoids on pain management in football players.
Houston Methodist announces nearly 100% vaccination rate
One of the first major hospital systems to publicly require all employees receive a COVID-19 vaccination has announced a nearly 100% vaccination rate among its staff.
OSHA to release virus emergency temporary standard
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration will release its long-awaited COVID-19 emergency temporary standard on Thursday.
N.J. Senate passes COVID dependent bill
The dependents of essential workers in New Jersey who die from COVID-19 in the course of employment may receive enhanced benefits if a bill that passed the state’s Senate becomes law.
AFL-CIO push for OSHA to issue temporary rule denied
A circuit court denied on Thursday a petition filed by labor unions that would have forced the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration to issue an emergency safety rule to address COVID-19.
Ranch hand’s family may sue for wrongful death
The family of a ranch worker crushed to death by a bull is not precluded from seeking wrongful death and survival claims from the ranch, the Texas Supreme Court held Friday.
Bill asks safety committees to give opioid risk information
The Pennsylvania Senate unanimously passed a bill Wednesday to require employers who have certified safety committees as part of their workers compensation programs to include information about the risks associated with opioid use.
Pot users no more likely to be injured on job: Study
Marijuana users are no more likely to suffer injuries on the job than their coworkers who abstain, according to a study published in the May issue of the medical journal Substance Use and Abuse and conducted by researchers at the University of British Columbia.
Insurer failed to prove cause of guard’s fall unexplained
A workers compensation insurer failed to prove that a security guard’s fall that resulted in a hospital treatment for a brain injury was “idiopathic,” or unexplained, the Workers’ Compensation Court of Montana ruled Tuesday in denying a summary judgment to the insurer.
Quest Diagnostics launches COVID workplace testing products
Quest Diagnostics on Wednesday announced a new suite of COVID-19 workplace testing products aimed at helping employers ensure safety among workers.
