California proposes to extend COVID rules
- During John Duncan’s stint as director of California’s Department of Industrial Relations, OSHA standards were subject to a thorough vetting process that used scientific evidence and other underlying data.
- Duncan said that maintaining a fair, transparent process was critical for rulemaking and effective compliance with standards that protect workers and employers.
- Unfortunately, the latest proposal by California OSHA for a two-year extension of COVID rules is making a significant change at the last minute.
- There should be discussions about exclusion pay, and whether emergency regulations should be extended past the end of the COVID emergency declaration in a few months, he said.
OSHA forms alliance
- OSHA and three trade organizations have formed a two-year alliance to provide New York’s brewing industry with information, guidance, and access to training resources to help them protect the safety and health of workers.
- The effort will seek to prevent and reduce exposure to hazards during brewing, storing, containerizing, handling, and delivery of beer to final locations.
- The alliance will also promote an understanding of workers’ rights and employers’ responsibilities under the Occupational Safety and Health Act.
- The organizations will use relevant injury, illness, and hazard exposure data to identify areas of emphasis for awareness, outreach, and communication activities.
Workers sue Tesla factory
- Multiple workers at Tesla’s Gigafactory in Austin, Texas, have filed defense cases to OSHA for labor and employment violations while on the grounds, multiple filings state.
- The Workers Defense Project is filing multiple complaints over allegations of labor and employment violations during the construction period of the Tesla Gigafactory in Austin.
- Among the complaints are numerous subcontractors violating the workers’ rights, wage theft, and workplace injuries.
- There were other OSHA violations for fraudulent certificates for training that workers never received.
Video-based OSHA training
- Interplay Learning is now offering video-based OSHA 10 and EPA 608 training designed to equip entry-level HVAC technicians with crucial workplace safety skills.
- The new offerings provide maintenance technicians online access to training and assessments for OSHA 10 and EPA 608 through Interplay Learning’s innovative SkillMill learning solution.
- This program provides more than 300 hours of online technical training and hands-on 3D simulations for skilled trades.
- Technicians can earn their OSHA 10-Hour Card and EPA 608 certification online, including centralized tracking, video-based exam prep courses, study materials, knowledge checks, and assessment exams.