20 Nov

Posted at 18:38h in Risk Management White Papers by . .
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Employers that are using fall protection equipment (e.g., personal fall arrest systems, connection components or anchors) should understand the manufacturers’ warranty requirements and instructions.

Following these warranty requirements is often necessary if the business would like the manufacturer to cover the product when it is damaged or if there is a functional issue. Examples of functional issues are when the fall protection fails to protect the employee when they fall or if a component of the fall protection (e.g. webbing, harness straps or buckles) needs repair.

20 Nov

Posted at 17:08h in COVID-19, Risk Management by . .
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OSHA has issued respiratory guidance focused on protecting workers in nursing homes, assisted living and other long term care facilities (LTCFs) from occupational exposure to COVID-19.

Control Measures

Under the guidance, health care providers should use source control measures, regardless of whether they present COVID-19 symptoms. Source control measures include, but are not limited to:

29 Oct

Posted at 23:44h in COVID-19, Risk Management by . .

The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) has been citing establishments for violations related to COVID-19. These citations have resulted in more than $1 million in penalties since the pandemic began.

OSHA announces new enforcement actions weekly. These announcements provide penalty totals and the number of establishments that receive citations. Taken together, these announcements provide insight on how OSHA is enforcing compliance with COVID-19 workplace safety guidelines. Some common COVID-19 employer citations include failures to:

24 Oct

Posted at 01:25h in Risk Management White Papers by . .

On Oct. 2, 2020, The U.S. Occupational Safety And Health Administration (OSHA) Issued Temporary Guidance For Compliance Safety And Health Officers (CHSOs), Easing Enforcement Of Fit-Testing Requirements Under The Respiratory Protection Standard For The Use Of Tight-Fitting Powered Air Purifying Respirators (PAPRs).

This enforcement guidance is significant because it applies to the shortage of N95 filtering face piece respirators (FFRs) and fit-testing supplies caused by the current COVID-19 pandemic. OSHA is currently allowing employers to use PAPRs approved for protection by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) when N95 respirators are not available.

09 Oct

Posted at 22:49h in COVID-19, Risk Management by . .

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has published a fair amount of guidance to assist employers in their efforts to provide a safe work environment for their workers during the current COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition to this guidance, OSHA has also created a COVID-19 website where employers can access information about the latest agency updates and tailored advice on how to comply with workplace safety standards during this COVID-19 pandemic. This Compliance Bulletin provides OSHA’s answers to a number of frequently asked questions (FAQs) about its COVID-19 guidance on: