From category archives: ABC Academy & GA Articles

OSHA Clarifies Employee Self-Treatment Under Recordkeeping Rule

A recent interpretation letter by the U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has refined the definition of a recordable injury under 29 CFR Part 1904 – Recording and Reporting Occupational Injuries and Illnesses. According to the interpretation, an employee’s self-treatment of wrist pain with a rigid brace qualifies as a reportable injury even if a physician later determines that the brace is acceptable yet unnecessary treatment.  Read the rest of entry »

Increase in Penalties Begins in August

Due to a provision in the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, all agencies with civil monetary penalties covered by the statute have the authority to raise penalties annually in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Some agencies affected by this increase include DOL, EPA and OSHA. The provision also allows OSHA to have a one-time “catch-up adjustment” in 2016 since the fines have not increased since 1990. Read the rest of entry »

OSHA Delays Enforcement of Anti-Retaliation Provisions in Electronic Reporting Final Rule

On July 13, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced it was delaying enforcement of the anti-retaliation provisions in the electronic injury reporting and anti-retaliation final rule, also known as Improve Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses, until Nov. 1, 2016. The provisions were originally scheduled to go into effect on Aug. 10. 

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Employers Must Post OSHA Injury/Illness Form by Feb. 1

ABC is reminding its contractor member firms that their 2015 Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Form 300A work-related injury and illness log summaries must be posted in a visible spot on all construction sites Feb. 1 through April 30. 
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OSHA Now Allows Electronic Submissions for Injury and Illness Reporting

A year after OSHA’s new injury and illness reporting requirements went into effect (Jan. 1, 2015); the agency launched a webpage to allow employers to electronically report cases. Employers now have three ways to report incidents: electronically through OSHA’s new web portal, https://www.osha.gov/report.html; by phone (1–800–321–OSHA or 1–800–321–6742); or by contacting the nearest OSHA Area Office. 
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Wellness Programs, Drones and EPA Regulations Included in Federal Regulatory Agenda

The Obama Administration’s regulatory agenda was released on Nov. 20 and lists the priorities of the administration and the rulemakings they expect to release in 2016, their final year. An update on rulemakings from a variety of agencies affecting the construction industry is below. ABC has also published Newsline stories updating the status of rulemakings from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the U.S. Department of Labor listed in the regulatory agenda. 
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OSHA Releases Latest Regulatory Agenda

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released its latest regulatory agenda on Nov. 20. The agenda lists the priorities of the administration and the rulemakings they expect to release in 2016, their final year. Read the rest of entry »

Two-Year Budget Deal Signed by President Obama Carries Implications for Contractors

President Obama Nov. 2 signed into law the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 (H.R. 1314), which suspended the application of the debt limit until March 2017 and ensured that the United States would meet its financial obligations. The deal was approved by a bi-partisan group of legislators the Unites States Senate Oct. 30 and the House of Representatives on Oct. 28. 
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OSHA’s Confined Spaces in Construction Rule in Full Effect

Employers can now be cited for not complying with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) confined spaces in construction final rule. A temporary enforcement policy of not issuing citations--provided employers made good-faith efforts to comply--expired on Oct. 2. 
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OSHA Releases Guide on Safety and Health Training For Workers

OSHA Aug. 4 released a guide titled, “Training Requirements in OSHA Standards,” that compiles information related to the agency’s mandatory safety and health training for workers into a 266-page document that is divided into five chapters, including one focused on construction safety training.
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