Dear Washington Manufacturer: Lowering workers’ compensation costs is a desire I hear from most of the companies I work with in Washington State. There are a lot of steps a company can take to do this that require sophisticated data analytics as well as the ability to interpret and put them into…
Read More…
On February 10, 2021, the recently elected Governor of Montana, Greg Gianforte, signed Senate Bill 65, which helps limit lawsuits associated with COVID-19 (coronavirus) against individuals, property owners, product manufacturers, and businesses. For businesses, the law essentially minimizes the risk of lawsuits for harm or damages associated with COVID-19, as…
Read More…
Question: Are safety and health agencies still paying attention to “regular” pre-existing safety regulations, or are they mostly focusing on COVID-19 (coronavirus) protocols? Answer: Yes, federal OSHA and state safety and health agencies are continuing to address safety concerns and violations unrelated to COVID-19. Recently, federal OSHA came onsite to investigate a partial…
Read More…
Washington Manufacturer: I am personally persuaded that there is no greater purpose in life than to love and serve others well. This is the reason why I find so much gratification leading our Vigilant team in our mission to help employers promote safe, fulfilling, legally compliant, and productive work environments, improving…
Read More…
In its updated guidance regarding the COVID-19 (coronavirus) vaccine, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that fully vaccinated individuals who come into close contact with a suspected or confirmed positive case of COVID-19 don’t have to quarantine if they’re within three months of their last vaccine dose and they…
Read More…
Question: Some of our employees have expressed concern about the possibility of a mandatory vaccine policy. What could we do to incentivize our employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19? What legal issues should we worry about? Answer: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released a Vaccination Toolkit for…
Read More…
Oregon and Idaho have announced that if at least 14 days have passed since a person fully completes their COVID-19 immunization (both doses of the vaccine), they don’t have to quarantine after a close contact exposure to a positive or presumed case of COVID-19. They are, however, still required to monitor…
Read More…
On January 8, 2021, Washington’s Departments of Labor & Industries (L&I) and Health (DOH) again extended and modified existing COVID-19 (coronavirus) safety rules for temporary worker housing (TWH) in the agriculture industry. As a reminder, the larger framework for agriculture COVID-19 safety compliance in Washington continues to be Proclamation 20-57.1, and the implementing requirements for worksites, which we reported…
Read More…
On January 8, 2021, Cal/OSHA significantly expanded the FAQs for California’s emergency temporary standard addressing COVID-19 workplace safety. As we previously reported, the standard took effect on November 30, 2020, and will remain in effect until October 2, 2021. Some of the key clarifications are: Enforcement: Until February 1, 2021, Cal/OSHA will cite…
Read More…
Question: Should we consider any special driving precautions for employees in winter during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic compared to a “normal” winter season? Answer: Yes, this is an entirely new frontier of change, challenges, and struggle for many of us, and preparing for winter driving conditions may require a little more creativity. First and…
Read More…