14 Jul FMCSA Notice: Flexible Drug and Alcohol Testing Rates During COVID-19 Pandemic
On July 6, 2020, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) issued a notice to assure motor carriers that they will be able to test drivers at a lower rate if they can prove that a deviation from current random testing rates was necessary because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The notice is significant because the FMCSA doubled the testing rate for controlled substances in 2020 to 50 percent. The FMCSA is issuing this notice because the agency is aware that the pandemic has created, and may continue to create, major disruptions in the motor carrier industry.
25 Jun OSHA Guidance for Reopening Nonessential Businesses
On June 18, 2020, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released guidance to help employers plan how to reopen nonessential businesses. The guidance also addresses issues employers should consider as they ask their employees return to work during the COVID-19 pandemic.
OSHA’s guidelines for reopening nonessential businesses provide general principles for updating restrictions that were originally put in place to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
25 Jun FDA Warns of Possibly Toxic Hand Sanitizer
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is advising consumers to refrain from using nine brands of hand sanitizer manufactured by Eskbiochem SA de CV in Mexico. The FDA made this announcement after discovering these brands’ hand sanitizers may contain methanol, or wood alcohol, which is a substance that can be toxic when ingested or absorbed […]
On June 18, 2020, California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an order requiring Californians to wear face coverings while in various public or high-risk settings—including when shopping, taking public transit or seeking medical care.
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is imperative that every precaution is taken to prevent the spread of the disease. At the workplace, employees may need to use equipment and tools that their co-workers have used. As such, it is important to stress the need to properly clean tools and equipment after each use.