OSHA Withdraws Vaccination and Testing Emergency Temporary Standard

OSHA Withdraws Vaccination and Testing Emergency Temporary Standard

By Subcontractors USA News Provider The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration is withdrawing the vaccination and testing emergency temporary standard issued on Nov. 5, 2021, to protect unvaccinated employees of large employers with 100 or more employees from workplace exposure to coronavirus. The withdrawal is effective January 26, 2022. Background and…

Harris County Commissioners Rodney Ellis and Adrian Garcia Develop a $200,000 Disparity Study Fund To Help Entities Implement MWBE Programs

Harris County Commissioners Rodney Ellis and Adrian Garcia Develop a $200,000 Disparity Study Fund To Help Entities Implement MWBE Programs

A disparity study determines whether a government entity, either in the past or currently, engages in exclusionary practices in the solicitation and award of contracts to minority, women‐owned, and disadvantaged business enterprises (MWDBEs). This study can help determine if there is disparity between the availability of firms and the utilization of those firms in its…

Statement on the Status of the OSHA COVID-19 Healthcare ETS

Statement on the Status of the OSHA COVID-19 Healthcare ETS

By Subcontractors USA News Provider OSHA recently announced that it intends to continue to work expeditiously to issue a final standard that will protect healthcare workers from COVID-19 hazards, and will do so as it also considers its broader infectious disease rulemaking. However, given that OSHA anticipates a final rule cannot be completed in a…

The Role of Employers in Responding to COVID-19

The Role of Employers in Responding to COVID-19

By Subcontractors USA News Provider Under the OSH Act, employers are responsible for providing a safe and healthy workplace free from recognized hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm.   As we are still in the midst of the pandemic, employers should continue to engage with workers and their representatives to determine how to…

New Online Portal Simplifies Application Process for OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Programs

New Online Portal Simplifies Application Process for OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Programs

By Subcontractors USA News Provider A new online portal for submitting applications to the U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) is now available. The new portal modernizes the application process for companies that qualify for VPP and makes it easier for candidates to start, continue and get assistance…

US Department of Labor Initiates Rulemaking to Protect Workers, Outdoors and Indoors, From Heat Hazards Amid Rising Temperatures

US Department of Labor Initiates Rulemaking to Protect Workers, Outdoors and Indoors, From Heat Hazards Amid Rising Temperatures

By Subcontractors USA News Provider Record-breaking heat in the U.S. in 2021 endangered millions of workers exposed to heat illness and injury in both indoor and outdoor work environments. Workers in outdoor and indoor work settings without adequate climate-controlled environments are at risk of hazardous heat exposure, and workers of color are exposed disproportionately to…

US Department of Labor Sues Austin Luxury Car Dealer That Retaliated Against Employee Who Raised Concerns of Coronavirus Hazards

US Department of Labor Sues Austin Luxury Car Dealer That Retaliated Against Employee Who Raised Concerns of Coronavirus Hazards

By Subcontractors USA News Provider The U.S. Department of Labor has filed suit against an Austin luxury car dealer for terminating an employee who warned managers and other co-workers about potential coronavirus hazards in the workplace. The action follows an investigation by the department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration that found Hi Tech Motorcars LLC,…

New Task Force To Direct Funding To Vital Highway Safety Projects

New Task Force To Direct Funding To Vital Highway Safety Projects

By Subcontractors USA News Provider The Texas Transportation Commission recently announced a new task force to be comprised of representatives from the Texas Department of Transportation and the state’s metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) to further identify and fund safety projects from funding allocated to MPOs throughout the state with a relentless focus on reducing the…

As an Employer, Are You Providing a Safe Workplace for Your Workers?

As an Employer, Are You Providing a Safe Workplace for Your Workers?

By Subcontractors USA News Provider Are you providing a safe workplace for your workers?  Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers have a responsibility to provide a safe workplace. OSHA covers most private sector employers and their workers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and other U.S. jurisdictions either directly…

Call 811 Before Digging: Free Service Will Help Keep You Safe

Call 811 Before Digging: Free Service Will Help Keep You Safe

By Subcontractors USA News Provider The RRC’s mission to protect neighborhoods around Texas extends to helping residents and excavators identify the vast network of underground utilities they need to pay attention to. Pipelines and other important underground utilities can easily be severed when unsuspecting individuals dig haphazardly, potentially risking harm. The RRC works with Texas…

OSHA News: U.S. Department of Labor Issues Updated Guidance on Protecting Unvaccinated and Other at-Risk Workers From the Coronavirus

OSHA News: U.S. Department of Labor Issues Updated Guidance on Protecting Unvaccinated and Other at-Risk Workers From the Coronavirus

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration recently issued updated guidance to help employers protect workers from the coronavirus. The updated guidance reflects developments in science and data, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s updated COVID-19 guidance issued July 27. The updated guidance expands information on appropriate measures for protecting…