OSHA wants to lessen dangerous exposures
- The U.S. Department of Labor recently updated OSHA’s Severe Violator Enforcement Program.
- The SVEP removal timeline will now begin when the employer fixes the alleged hazard rather than at the end of the administrative process.
- The potential for SVEP removal now begins three years after the date of verification that all related hazards have been remedied, as opposed to the issuance of a final order.
- The amount of time in SVEP cases can be reduced to two years if employers consent to an enhanced settlement agreement that implements a health and safety management system.
Federal court denies health firm’s bid to prevent damages
- The U.S. District Court for Eastern New York denied a Staten Island health provider’s attempt to prevent the U.S. Dept. of Labor from pursuing damages for a COVID-19 whistleblower whose private state claim was dismissed.
- The department filed suit against Community Health Center of Richmond Inc. and its CEO, Henry Thompson, alleging that they violated the Occupational Safety and Health Act.
- The two defendants suspended and later terminated an employee who reported their concerns about the potential for COVID-19 exposure at an in-person staff meeting.
- The employer sought to prevent the department from seeking individual damages for the whistleblower arguing that the dismissal of the former employee’s prior state whistleblower claim prevents the department from obtaining monetary relief for the aggrieved worker.
Construction worker dies at Kansas City airport
- A worker for Clarkson Construction Co. died in a paving accident at Kansas City International Airport, according to OSHA.
- The worker suffered fatal injuries when struck by a machine during paving operations at the airport. Clarkson Construction reported the injuries immediately to OSHA as required.
- The project the worker was working on was not related to the construction of the new terminal. Rather, it was a rehabilitation of an existing runway.
- OSHA was not releasing any further information until it had completed its investigation.
Ensuring the safety of cleaning products
- The chemicals in some cleaning products can be hazardous, causing problems ranging from skin rashes and burns to coughing and asthma, according to OSHA.
- Some chemicals in cleaners can be irritating to the skin and/or cause rashes and products can contain corrosive chemicals, which can cause severe burns if splashed on the skin or in the eyes.
- before purchasing cleaning products, determine whether sanitizing or disinfecting is necessary.
- Many employers and building managers are purchasing “green” cleaning chemicals with the expectation that green cleaning products are safer for workers and the environment.