Labor

New Orleans — A new approach that allows Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement inspectors to access electronic records onshore will increase their physical inspection time at more than 2,200 offshore oil and gas facilities in the Gulf of Mexico, the agency recently announced.

Washington — The passage and signing of the Consolidated Appropriations Act (also known as the omnibus bill) on March 23 means stable funding for safety agencies through at least September.

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.”

Employers “can and will be at the forefront of implementing pivotal solutions to prevent and treat opioid addictions,” one researcher testified during a joint hearing convened by two House subcommittees.

Oakland, CA — California’s Office of Administrative Law on March 9 approved a workplace health and safety standard for the state’s hospitality workers, completing a multiyear push by hospitality workers union UNITE HERE.

New Orleans — The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement has introduced a risk-based inspection program intended to improve safety for offshore oil and gas workers.

Washington — Although work-related hearing loss in the agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting sector is lower overall than most other industries, three specific subsectors “would benefit from continued hearing conservation efforts,” according to researchers from NIOSH.

Washington — In response to stakeholder comments and questions, the Environmental Protection Agency has issued final guidance on the placement of first aid statements on pesticide labels.

Washington — Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) and 12 other House Democrats have introduced legislation intended to curb workplace violence in health care facilities.

Washington — Workers in certain subsectors of the health care and social assistance industry experience hearing loss at a rate higher than expected “for an industry that has had assumed ‘low-exposure’ to noise,” according to a recent study from NIOSH.