Archive for December 29th, 2020

OSHA Gathers More than $3.5 Million in Coronavirus Penalties

Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic through Dec. 3, the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued citations arising from 263 inspections for violations relating to the coronavirus, resulting in proposed penalties of more than $3.5 million, the DOL said in a Dec. 11 press release. Inspections have led the agency to cite employers for failures to: implement a written respiratory protection program; provide workers with a respirator fit […]

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OSHA to Target Workplaces with Highest Injury and Illness Rates

The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that its Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is updating its inspection program that directs agency enforcement resources to establishments with the highest rates of injuries and illnesses. The Site-Specific Targeting (SST) Directive is OSHA’s primary targeting program for non-construction establishments with 20 or more employees. The agency selects establishments based on injury and illness data employers submitted on Form 300A for calendar years 2017-2019. The new directive […]

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NWRA urges governors to include waste and recycling workers as part of states’ COVID-19 vaccine distribution plans

The National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA) announced Dec. 2 that it has sent letters to the nation’s governors urging them to follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) on including waste and recycling industry personnel as a part of their states’ vaccine distribution plans, including specialty medical waste workers who provide collection and management services within healthcare settings. “The waste and recycling industry provides a critical service […]

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