Appeals Court Rejects Effort to Compel OSHA to Retain Healthcare ETS

On Friday, an Appellate Court rejected the UNIONS' effort, including the National Nurses, United, to compel the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to retain the Healthcare Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS).

OSHA issues emergency temporary standard to protect workers from coronavirus

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration today announced a new emergency temporary standard [ETS] to protect more than 84 million workers from the spread of the coronavirus on the job. The ETS shifts payment responsibility for testing to workers which will impact risk costs for employers and may conflict with some Workers’ Compensation laws and the efficient administration of benefits.

OSHA Finally Acts: Is It Too Little and Too Late?

Today OSHA released a COVID Emergency Temporary Standard [ETS] for health care workers and guidance for workers, not in a health care setting. OSHA’s action comes about a year and a half after the COVID-19 Pandemic began and when over half of the nation’s workforce has already the protection of received an initial vaccination.

OSHA: ETS and COVID-19 - CRS issues an updated report April 2021

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) does not currently have a specific standard that protects health care or other workers from airborne or aerosol transmission of disease or diseases transmitted by airborne droplets. 

Reducing Worker Exposure to ETS

What better time than during the American Cancer Society’s annual Great American Smokeout to highlight the benefit of comprehensive smoke-free workplaces on the health of workers?