Employer Law Report

Tag Archives: safety

OSHA retaliation rules are going forward

By Mike Underwood on

On Monday, a federal judge in Texas refused to issue an injunction stopping OSHA from enforcing certain aspects of controversial “non-retaliation” rules. We reported on the proposed OSHA rules on Oct. 27, 2016. Briefly, the most controversial aspects of the rule are on two points:

  1. The rule would effectively prohibit incentive programs under which bonuses or other rewards are conditioned, at least in part, on the frequency of reported injuries. OSHA says that programs like that are a disincentive to reporting injuries.
  2. OSHA takes the position that drug testing programs that call for drug or alcohol testing automatically after an
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Hidden anti-retaliation provisions in OSHA’s electronic reporting rule: How are incentive programs and drug testing policies affected?

By Jourdan Day on

On Oct. 11, 2018, OSHA published a memorandum changing its position, taking a significantly more relaxed approach on this anti-retaliation rule. Jourdan Day explains what this means here. 

In May 2016, we told you about OSHA’s final rule requiring electronic reporting of illnesses and injuries. This rule requires electronic submission of your OSHA logs, and the information provided will be posted on OSHA’s website. However, in the comments about the new reporting rules OSHA addresses anti-retaliation as it relates to the reporting of illnesses and injuries. The anti-retaliation regulations were originally scheduled to take effect Aug. 10, 2016 and …

OSHA issues final rule requiring electronic submission of workplace illness and injury logs

By Jamie LaPlante on

On May 11, 2016, OSHA issued a final rule requiring electronic reporting of illnesses and injuries. The new rules apply to establishments with 250 or more employees. The rules require electronic submission of the 2016 OSHA form 300A summary report by July 1, 2017, and the 2017 300 log, 300A summary and 301 incident report for 2017 by July 1, 2018. In each subsequent year, all reports for every establishment must be submitted by March 2 of the following year. The new rules also require employers in high-risk industries (construction, manufacturing, furniture stores, waste collection and nursing care facilities) with …

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Adopts Final Rule on Hours of Service for Commercial Vehicle Drivers

By Brian Hall on

On November 18, 2008, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA ) issued a news release stating its adoption as final the provisions of the Agency’s December 17, 2007, interim final rule concerning hours of service (HOS) for commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers. This final rule allows CMV drivers to continue to drive up to 11 hours within a 14-hour, non-extendable window from the start of the workday, following at  least 10 consecutive hours off duty (11-hour rule). Drivers also cannot operate a truck if they have worked more than 60 hours in a given week.   The rule allows motor carriers and drivers to continue to restart calculations …

New Consumer Product Safety Whistleblower Law Enacted

By Brian Hall on

On August 14, 2008, President Bush signed into law the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA), which includes, among many extensive changes to consumer safety laws, a whistle-blower provision.

This provision applies to all manufacturers, distributors, retailers and private labelers of children’s toys, children’s products and child care articles, regardless of the number of employees. Under the Act, children’s toys and children’s products are generally defined as being "designed or intended primarily for children 12 years of age or younger."  "Child care articles" are defined as "a consumer product designed or intended by the manufacturer to facilitate sleep …

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