Workforce Bulletin

On Epstein Becker Green’s OSHA Law Update blog, Eric Conn reviews the agreement between the NLRB and OSHA, which allows employees to file out-of-date safety related whistleblower claims to be filed with the NLRB.

Following is an excerpt from the blog post:

On May 21, 2014, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) published a memorandum discussing a new agreement between NLRB and OSHA regarding a backdoor route for employees to file safety related whistleblower claims that are too stale to be filed with OSHA. The NLRB memo directs OSHA representatives to “notify all complainants ...

On Epstein Becker Green’s OSHA Law Update blog, Eric Conn reviews the agreement between the NLRB and OSHA, which allows employees to file out-of-date safety related whistleblower claims to be filed with the NLRB.

Following is an excerpt from the blog post:

On May 21, 2014, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) published a memorandum discussing a new agreement between NLRB and OSHA regarding a backdoor route for employees to file safety related whistleblower claims that are too stale to be filed with OSHA. The NLRB memo directs OSHA representatives to “notify all complainants ...

On Epstein Becker Green’s OSHA Law Update blog, Eric Conn reviews the agreement between the NLRB and OSHA, which allows employees to file out-of-date safety related whistleblower claims to be filed with the NLRB.

Following is an excerpt from the blog post:

On May 21, 2014, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) published a memorandum discussing a new agreement between NLRB and OSHA regarding a backdoor route for employees to file safety related whistleblower claims that are too stale to be filed with OSHA. The NLRB memo directs OSHA representatives to “notify all complainants ...

On June 10, 2014, Epstein Becker Green's national OSHA Practice Group presented a webinar regarding OSHA's Severe Violator Enforcement Program (SVEP). The SVEP is an OSHA enforcement program intended by OSHA to direct its enforcement resources at employers whom OSHA believes are “indifferent to their OSH Act obligations."

The webinar covered:

• What the SVEP is;
• How and when employers "qualify" into it;
• What the consequences are for doing so;
• Interesting data and trends about the SVEP; and
• Tips to help employers avoid this fate.

This webinar was the second part in a five-part ...

James S. Frank, a Member in the Health Care and Life Sciences and Labor and Employment practices, and Serra J. Schlanger, an Associate in the Health Care and Life Sciences practice, co-authored an article for the American Health Lawyers Association (AHLA) entitled "Hospitals' Heavy Lifting:  Understanding OSHA's New Hospital Worker and Patient Safety Guidance."

The article, published in AHLA's Spring 2014 Labor & Employment publication, summarizes OSHA's new web-based "Worker Safety in Hospitals" guidance, explains how the guidance relates to OSHA's existing regulatory framework, and details what OSHA considers necessary for an effective Safe Patient Handling Systems as well as an effective Safety and Health Management System.

The article goes on to forecast what OSHA's Hospital Safety guidance will mean in the future for employers in the healthcare industry, including:

1. More Whistleblower Complaints;
2. Heavier enforcement by OSHA;
3. Increased enforcement by the Joint Commission; and
4. Greater interest in safety and health related legislation.

Finally, the article provides recommendations for what hospital and health system employers can do now to prepare for these developments, including:

1. Reviewing and digesting the new OSHA hospital patient and employee safety resource;
2. Work with employees and/or contractors to improve Safe Patient Handling Programs and/or a Safety and Health Management Systems; and
3. Prepare for more safety-related whistleblower complaints by setting up effective processes to quickly investigate and address complaints and employee injuries and illnesses.

Below are some excerpts from the article:

On January 15, 2014 the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) launched a new online resource to address both worker and patient safety in hospitals.

According to OSHA, a hospital is one of the most dangerous places to work, as employees can face numerous serious hazards from lifting and moving patients, to exposure to chemical hazards and infectious diseases, to potential slips, trips, falls, and potential violence by patients—all in a dynamic and ever-changing environment. . . .

The national OSHA Practice Group at Epstein Becker Green co-authored an article in BioFuels Journal entitled “Railcar Fall Protection: What OSHA Requires from Ethanol Plant Operators.”  Although the article principally addresses OSHA's enforcement landscape related to work on top of railcars at ethanol plants, the analysis carries over to work on top of any rolling stock (e.g., tanker trucks, railcars, rigs, etc.) in any industry.

Here is an excerpt from the article:

Addressing fall hazards is always among the OSHA's top enforcement priorities.  Indeed ...

Epstein Becker & Green is proud to report that Corporate INTL Magazine has named our national OSHA Practice Group based out of Washington, DC as the "Occupational Health & Safety Law Firm of the Year" in its 2014 Global Awards.

Here is a press release that EBG put out about the award.

The award was given after Corporate INTL's research department conducted extensive reviews, drew insight from business leaders, advisers and investors throughout the world, and took feedback over the past year from the readership of Corporate INTL Magazine (over 70,000 company leaders and advisers ...