Top stories

Washington — More than two dozen lawmakers are calling on OSHA to issue an emergency temporary standard on infectious disease, among other steps, before reopening the economy, in an April 29 letter sent to Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia.

Washington — Aimed at protecting construction workers from exposure to COVID-19, a new OSHA safety alert lists measures employers should take during the pandemic.

Washington — Two days after OSHA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued voluntary interim guidance aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19 among workers in the meatpacking and poultry-processing industries, President Donald Trump invoked the Defense Production Act of 1950 and declared the facilities “critical infrastructure” in an Executive Order intended to keep meatpacking facilities open.

Washington — This year’s Workers’ Memorial Day, marked on April 28 each year to honor those who have lost their lives on the job, served as a poignant reminder of the ultimate sacrifice made by the many workers providing essential services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Washington — In effort to preserve the supply of N95 filtering facepiece respirators during the COVID-19 pandemic, OSHA is permitting the reuse of respirators that undergo certain decontamination processes, according to an April 24 temporary enforcement memo.

Occupational safety and health pros weigh in on the current job market, as well as whether the COVID-19 pandemic will have a lasting impact on the profession.

Washington — To help determine workers’ risk level for exposure to COVID-19, OSHA has published a chart.

Washington — The AFL-CIO has outlined steps it says all levels of government should take to protect workers from exposure to COVID-19 before reopening the economy.

Washington — “Good-faith efforts” by employers to comply with worker safety regulations during the COVID-19 pandemic should be taken into “strong consideration,” OSHA states in an April 16 memo to area offices and inspectors.

In Episode 2, the Safety+Health editorial team looks at what’s being done to protect workers in roadway work zones, and talks with safety consultant Tim Page-Bottorff about his unique path into the profession and how safety pros can take their work home.