Phoenix tree-trimmer fatally crushed by palm fronds

A tree services employee was crushed Tuesday morning by approximately 700 pounds of palm fronds in Phoenix. Rescuers reportedly found the tree trimmer 20 feet up from the ground in the backyard of a home. He was pronounced dead on the scene. azfamily.com [with video]

Hudson Valley employee killed in workplace accident

A 25-year-old Massachusetts man, who had just finished loading a tractor-trailer for delivery, died Friday afternoon after being fatally pinned when the trailer accidentally rolled back at a Germantown, New York business. Hudson Valley 360

Infected meatpacking employees struggle to collect compensation

Across the US, more than 100 meat-processing plants operated by different companies have had outbreaks of COVID-19, in part because of crowded working conditions. But tracing the exact origins of individual infections can be difficult, which has led to denial of compensation claims on grounds the illnesses were not necessarily work-related. Seattle Times

Fed-OSHA clarifies reporting requirement for COVID-19-related hospitalizations, deaths

Fed-OSHA recently published a new series of answers to its “COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions” guidance relating to an employer’s obligation to report work-related hospitalizations and fatalities that occur as a result of COVID-19. The new FAQs clarify that the work-related “incident,” which triggers an employer’s reporting obligation, is an employee’s exposure to the coronavirus in the workplace, write Davis Jenkins and Arthur G. Sapper of Ogletree Deakins. The attorneys note the new FAQs clarify that for cases of COVID-19, “incident” means “an exposure to SARS-CoV-2 in the workplace. National Law Review

OR-OSHA delays adoption of temporary COVID rule

Oregon OSHA has pushed back adoption of a proposed temporary rule for COVID-19 for workplaces to allow more time for comment and review. Officials initially targeted October 1 but are now shooting for adoption on October 21, with an effective date of November 1. The draft regs include distancing requirements, a mask requirement where distancing can’t be observed or in rooms of less than 200 square feet, limited vehicle capacities and a mask requirement when transporting workers, a requirement to sanitize surface, a COVID-19 Hazards poster requirement, and a ventilation requirement. Natural Resource Report