Federal Agencies

Washington — Two dozen Democratic senators have taken issue with the dollar amounts OSHA has chosen to levy against employers in its individual COVID-19-related fines.

Atlanta — Employers should prioritize COVID-19 exposure controls for essential workers whose existing medical conditions put them at higher risk of severe illness from the potentially deadly disease, say researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Washington — The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement has “continued to fulfill its mission” during the COVID-19 pandemic by performing safety and environmental inspections for offshore oil and gas operations, the Department of the Interior Office of Inspector General concludes in a report issued Sept. 21.

Arlington, VA — The Mine Safety and Health Administration has awarded $400,000 in safety training grants to six organizations as part of its Brookwood-Sago Mine Safety Grants Program.

Washington — OSHA has updated a series of answers to frequently asked questions on protecting workers from exposure to the coronavirus to include a section on the need to report confirmed, work-related COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths.

Washington — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has launched a free online resource intended to help motor carriers and commercial truck drivers better understand a controversial final rule the agency claims adds flexibility to hours-of-service regulations.

Washington — OSHA has issued temporary enforcement guidelines for fit testing of powered air-purifying respirators for workers at high risk of exposure to COVID-19.

Washington — Two new fact sheets from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are intended to help fitness center employers and workers reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Greenbelt, MD — The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance peers into the future of commercial motor vehicle safety technology, inspections and enforcement in a recently released video, presenting a vision of numerous applications and advancements intended to steer the industry toward a longtime goal: reducing roadway incidents and fatalities.

Washington — OSHA has awarded more than $11.2 million in one-year federal safety and health training grants to 90 nonprofit organizations, as part of the Susan Harwood Training Grant Program.