Federal Agencies

Washington — To help protect dental office workers from exposure to COVID-19, OSHA has developed guidance for employers.

Washington — Workplaces, schools and public spaces preparing to reopen during the COVID-19 pandemic are encouraged to develop and implement plans to effectively clean and disinfect surfaces, under recently released joint guidance from the Environmental Protection Agency and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Washington — In an effort to better protect workers in the health care and public safety sectors during the COVID-19 pandemic, NIOSH is approving a new class of powered air-purifying respirators, under an interim final rule published by the Department of Health and Human Services.

Washington — NIOSH’s Mine Safety and Health Research Advisory Committee is scheduled to meet June 2 via Zoom web conference.

Washington — OSHA recently released a poster and video that detail seven steps to properly put on and remove a respirator at work.

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 — Calling for a uniform approach to identify essential workers and functions amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has created two resources intended to help employers and workers navigate challenges presented by what it calls a “patchwork of guidance” and “lack of clarity” from domestic and international governments.

Washington — Still without a quorum after the resignation of one of two remaining members, the Chemical Safety Board also is contending with an investigative staffing shortage that has prompted the agency to temporarily halt two investigations.

Washington — The Department of Labor is asking for stakeholder comment on strategies for safely resuming traditional work after the COVID-19 pandemic begins to wane, as well as challenges organizations may face during the process.

Arlington, VA — Prompted by a recent incident in which a bulldozer operator working on a surge pile of coal was engulfed and trapped in the machine’s cab when the pile collapsed, the Mine Safety and Health Administration has issued a safety alert.