Articles by Alan Ferguson

The Centers of Occupational Health and Education program – part of the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries – is designed to get injured workers back on the job while curbing long-term disability rates.

OSHA is set to move ahead on four standards previously relegated to “long-term action” status, according to the Spring 2018 regulatory agenda, released May 9.

Federal OSHA is requiring covered establishments in State Plan states that don't have electronic recordkeeping rules to submit their 2017 injury and illness data from Form 300A. Two states are telling employers to disregard the directive.

Are occupational safety and health professionals looking to change jobs? Are opportunities growing? Safety+Health presents the latest results from its annual survey.

OSHA needs to improve its “attitude and relationship” with stakeholders, an attorney representing the U.S. Chamber of Commerce told members of the House, while former agency administrator David Michaels said the assertion that OSHA doesn’t partner with industry is “really discrediting the agency and is not based in fact.”

Spring is considered tornado season for much of the United States, but tornadoes can occur any time of the year. How can employers ensure their workers are prepared?

The ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia upholds the lower permissible exposure limit in OSHA’s updated silica rule. Supporters of the rule call the court’s decision a “huge victory” for workers, while opponents say it disregards “legitimate concerns.”

The latest agenda, released in December, reflects the Trump administration’s push for deregulation, and details a plan for agencies to put forth “three deregulatory actions for every new regulatory action in 2018.”

Despite advances in technology, injuries and deaths from backing vehicles continue to occur. With federal regulation no longer on the horizon, experts say employers need to implement best practices to keep workers safe.

“If confirmed, I will work very hard every day side by side with the best safety professionals at America’s ultimate safety department,” the FedEx executive said during a Dec. 5 hearing before the Senate Help, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.