Articles by Alan Ferguson

In a memo sent Oct. 11 to regional administrators and state designees, the agency outlines examples of acceptable drug testing, and states that incentive programs that withhold prizes because of an injury are compliant “as long as the employer has implemented precautions to ensure that employees feel free to report an injury or illness.”

Washington — OSHA’s $5 million budget increase became official Sept. 28 after President Donald Trump signed a “minibus” appropriations bill that includes funding for the Department of Defense and a continuing resolution to keep the government open until Dec. 7.

Federal regulations often take years – sometimes decades – to come to fruition. In the current presidential administration, the focus is on deregulation – and experts say the process of rolling back a rule can prove just as slow.

Once relegated to science fiction and other works of popular culture, exoskeletons are showing promise in providing ergonomic support and preventing injuries among people who work physically demanding jobs.

OSHA aims to rescind two major parts of its Improve Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses final rule. Under the proposal, covered establishments with 250 or more employees – or those with 20 to 249 employees in certain high-hazard industries – no longer would be required to submit injury and illness data Forms 300 or 301.

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.”