Fed-OSHA to issue new rules for when heat index is over 80 degrees

Fed-OSHA is set to issue a new rule that will focus interventions and workplace inspections on days when the heat index exceeds 80 degrees Fahrenheit, in order to help prevent heat-related illnesses at outdoor and indoor work settings. The White House said the rule was a significant step toward a federal heat standard, and officials will expand the scope of inspections to address heat-related hazards in U.S. workplaces. Newsweek

Maine’s public sector employers will be subject to Fed-OSHA COVID-19 vaccination mandate

The Maine Department of Labor announced last week that the state’s public sector employees will be subject to the COVID-19 vaccine mandate due to Maine’s state plan agreement with the federal government, write Steve Silver and David Strock of Littler. JD Supra

AOC’s ‘Tax the rich’ dress designer owes tax debt in multiple states

Designer Aurora James’ company reportedly racked up three open tax warrants in New York state for failing to withhold income taxes from employees’ paychecks totaling nearly $14,800 from 2018 and 2019, according to the New York Department of Taxation and Finance. In October 2019, the state Workers’ Compensation Board fined the company $17,000 for not carrying workers’ compensation insurance between March 2017 and February 2018. Fox Business

FedEx to spend $100M on boosting delivery-van safety

FedEx Corp. plans to spend more than $100 million to improve delivery-van safety and reduce costs from accidents, potentially dragging on short-term earnings as the courier faces pressure from rising wages and other expenses. Bloomberg Law [may require registration]

Solving utility-glove noncompliance in dentistry

There is a lot of noncompliance surrounding the use of utility gloves in dentistry; people find them difficult to use. This is a problem because the federal guidelines mandate that dental health-care professionals wear them for safety and health. RDH