New Dallas OSHA Process Benefiting Employers

The new two-step settlement process implemented by OSHA’s Dallas office could lead to more favorable outcomes for employers, according to lawyers at Ogletree Deakins.
In a Tuesday podcast, John Surma and Frank Davis covered the office’s process that now includes a second round of negotiations following the contesting of citations.
Additional changes expected from the new process include reductions in penalties and the possibility of having citations withdrawn.
The OSHA branch office’s rationale for the new approach included reducing the workload for the local Solicitor’s Office and addressing recent legal challenges faced by administrative bodies, they said.
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Colorado state legislators are considering a bill that would require shade structures and heated areas at trigger temperatures.
House Bill 25-1286 would require employers to provide shade or shelter in extreme conditions, develop temperature-related safety plans for job sites and make water available for workers in an effort to prevent illness like heat stroke, hypothermia and frostbite.
The bill defines trigger temperatures as a low of 30 degrees Fahrenheit and a high of 80 degrees, though the triggers account for how a person experiences low and high temperatures, such as with wind chill and humidity.
The bill is aimed at codifying into state law existing guidelines set by OSHA for workers in industries that can operate in extreme temperatures, such as construction, agriculture, landscaping, oil and gas production, warehousing and manufacturing.
While backed by the state’s labor and worker advocacy groups, it is widely opposed by industry groups.
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Washington State’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health is seeking to establish new permit requirements for tower crane operations.
The new rules would establish guidelines for the operation, assembly, disassembly, and reconfiguration of tower cranes.
The state’s Department of Labor & Industries has scheduled two public meetings — March 24 and April 1 — to provide an overview of the proposed changes and take feedback.
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The Mine Safety and Health Administration has issued an alert that miners who operate mobile equipment should remain in the operator’s compartment when the equipment is in motion.
That follows a Jan. 10 incident in which a mobile bridge carrier operator died, the second mine fatality reported this year.
Among the practices that MSHA is recommending is that operators install and maintain person-in-position switches on mobile bridge carriers to require miners to remain in the operator’s compartment while the equipment is in motion.
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