OSHA Law Update Blog Forecasts 2012's Big Developments
PSM inspections of chemical facilities through a new National Emphasis Program is listed first among the five most important developments expected from OSHA next year by two lawyers in the OSHA Practice Group of Epstein Becker Green.
The top five 2012 developments expected from OSHA by the lawyers working in Epstein Becker Green's OSHA Practice Group were listed recently at its OSHA Law Update blog. The law firm launched the blog recently to address significant OSHA enforcement initiatives and cases, rulemaking activity, and other safety and health issues for employers, in-house counsel, and safety and health professionals.
Eric Conn heads the OSHA Practice Group, which is part of the firm's National Labor and Employment practice. He and Amanda R. Strainis-Walker co-wrote the item about 2012 OSHA actions to anticipate. Their list:
- PSM inspections of chemical facilities will take place nationwide through a new National Emphasis Program.
- Follow-up inspections and repeat violations, which OSHA is actively pursuing as it issues much higher penalties, they wrote.
- OSHA will conduct ergonomics enforcement "in earnest in 2012" by using the general duty clause.
- The change in the recordkeeping regulations that requires timely reporting of amputations and in-patient hospitalizations is on its way to the White House and will take effect in 2012, they predicted.
- GHS will be approved by OIRA early in 2012.
The other lawyers writing for the blog are Casey Cosentino, Alexis Downs, and Paul Burmeister. The law firm employs about 300 lawyers in 10 offices nationwide.