On August 2, 2021, Oregon OSHA issued two new temporary emergency regulations, one addressing outdoor workers’ exposure to wildfire smoke, and another addressing high heat in employer-provided housing. Both rules take effect on August 9, 2021, although employers have until August 16, 2021, to train outdoor workers on wildfire smoke hazards.…
Read More…The Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Oregon OSHA) is offering educational and training resources to help employers comply with its recently adopted temporary rule to prevent heat illness, on which we recently issued an Alert. The resources include a fact sheet summarizing the rule; a Centers for Disease Control…
Read More…On July 8, 2021, the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Oregon OSHA) issued a temporary rule intended to prevent heat illness in workers on hot-weather days. The new Oregon heat illness prevention rule applies to all Oregon employers, including employers in the agriculture industry. Among other requirements, the new…
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Governor Kate Brown issued an executive order rescinding mask, distancing, and other COVID-19-related restrictions for the general public in Oregon, effective Wednesday, June 30, 2021. Also on June 30, Oregon OSHA published its revised Rule Addressing Covid-19 Workplace Risks, which eliminates the requirements for workplace masks and distancing (regardless of employees’…
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In updated Statewide Isolation and Quarantine Guidance issued on June 4, 2021, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) is again allowing a shortened quarantine period for people who have had close contact with a confirmed positive COVID-19 (coronavirus) case. While OHA continues to recommend a 14-day quarantine period for employees who…
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Understand how CDC’s relaxed mask guidance applies in your state On May 13, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) announced that people who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (coronavirus) generally don’t need to wear masks or physically distance with a few exceptions, setting off a flurry of compliance questions for employers. Depending…
Read More…On April 30, 2021, the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Oregon OSHA) issued a “permanent” rule on COVID-19 Workplace Requirements for Employer-Provided Labor Housing (OAR 437-004-1115). This is in addition to Oregon OSHA’s other new “permanent” rule for workplaces (as opposed to worker housing), Addressing COVID-19 Workplace Risks (OAR 437-001-0744), reported separately in…
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OREGON: Oregon OSHA adopts permanent COVID-19 workplace rule On May 4, 2021, the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Oregon OSHA) released its long-awaited permanent rule, Addressing COVID-19 Workplace Risks (OAR 437-001-0744). The new rule replaces and is substantially consistent with the now expired temporary rule which we previously reported…
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In updated Statewide Isolation and Quarantine Guidance issued April 24, 2021, the Oregon Health Authority is no longer allowing for a shortened quarantine period for people who have had a close contact with a confirmed positive COVID-19 (coronavirus) case, even if the individual tests negative during their quarantine period. Individuals…
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Four years with no OSHA recordable injuries. Five years with no OSHA recordable injuries. These are statements you don’t read often for fast-paced manufacturing production facilities in the Pacific Northwest. Why is this a rare thing and how did two Vigilant member companies do it? Alta Forest Products’ facilities in Morton, Washington, and Naples,…
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