Lawyers Launch Employers OSHA and MSHA Modernization Coalition

• Lawyers at Conn Maciel Carey national practice groups have launched a Employers OSHA and MSHA Modernization Coalition to provide input to the federal safety agencies about “overly burdensome regulations that should be rescinded or replaced.”
• The coalition has scheduled separate open OSHA and MSHA kickoff virtual meetings next week (OSHA on May 7 and MSHA on May 9) to discuss the types of reform to advocate for.
• The move comes in the wake of an April 11 publication by The White House’s Office of Management and Budget of a Request for Information (RFI) soliciting stakeholder feedback on federal regulations that are onerous, outdated, or unnecessary.
• The goal, according to OMB, is to rescind or replace regulations that “stifle” the dynamism and creativity of American businesses.
• The law firm said it has already filed a request for an extension to the RFI deadline currently set for May 12.
  READ MORE

As OSHA Extends Heat Hazard NEP, Here’s What Employers Need to Do

• With the move by OSHA to extend its National Emphasis Program on Outdoor and Indoor Heat-Related Hazards (NEP) until April 8, 2026, employers need to review their workplace safety programs and ensure they have a comprehensive heat illness prevention program in place.
• The NEP had been set to expire on April 8, 2025. This extension allows OSHA to continue its efforts in identifying and addressing heat-related injuries and illnesses in workplaces.
• Targeted sectors include manufacturing, wholesalers, restaurants, retail, bakeries, landscaping, and construction.
• While OSHA is still working on a proposed federal heat plan, many State Plan states have already created a heat illness standard or are in the process of promulgating state-specific heat standards, according to a JacksonLewis blog post.
  READ MORE

Ontario Safety Agency Commits Millions for Mining Safety

• Ontario’s Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) announced CA$6.78 million in funding to protect people in the province’s natural resources sectors.
• The WSIB is partnering with Workplace Safety North and the Institute for Work and Health on a campaign aimed at enhancing hygiene monitoring practices and reducing exposure to harmful workplace hazards.
• The initiative focuses on high-risk sectors like mining and forestry, where workers continue to face some of the highest rates of occupational illness fatalities in Ontario.
  READ MORE