Share via Email


* Email To: (Separate multiple addresses with a semicolon)
* Your Name:
* Email From: (Your IP Address is 54.89.127.249)
* Email Subject: (personalize your subject)


Email Content:
Chick-News.com Poultry Industry News, Comments and more by Simon M. Shane

Role of OSHA in Preventing COVID Criticized

03/10/2021

An article by Eli Rosenberg in the Washington Post on March 2nd takes to task the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) under the previous Administration with regard to protection of the health of workers in processing plants exposed to COVID.  It is understood that the agency received 15 percent more safety complaints between February 1st and October 26th compared to the corresponding period in 2019, yet the Agency performed approximately half of the inspections compared to the previous year.  The Inspector General of the Department of Labor noted, “We are concerned that since most OSHA inspections were done remotely during the pandemic, hazards may have gone unidentified and unabated with employees being more vulnerable to hazardous risk exposure while working.”

 

David Michaels, a previous Administrator of OSHA during the Administration of President Obama, noted “The Inspector General documented OSHA’s failure under President Trump to mount a strong effort to protect millions of frontline workers doing essential work.”  He added, “Thousands of virus-exposed workers complained to OSHA but the Agency did little to help them.”  Regional OSHA officials were hampered by the absence of clear  standards and in some cases were forced to rely on the General Duty Clause to achieve compliance although this is difficult to enforce.  The difference between the number of citations and fines issued by the Federal OSHA and the California OSHA denote the more aggressive approach taken by California state officials with respect to apparent negligence on the part of operators of red meat plants.

 

During the severe phase of the pandemic, OSHA issued three General Duty Clause violations and a total of 290 violations arising from 176 inspections relating to COVID-19 in response to 11,000 complaints.  Oregon, Michigan, and Virginia eventually established their own workplace standards given the absence of OSHA leadership.

 

Rep. Robert C. Scott (D-VA), Chairman of the House Committee on Education and Labor, pressed for emergency standards early in the course of the pandemic.  He stated, “Despite overwhelming pressure from Congress, workers, and public health experts, the previous Administration refused to take any meaningful action to protect workers.”  He added, “Now the Inspector General’s report reveals the consequences of the Trump Administration’s inaction.”


 
Copyright © 2024 Simon M. Shane