On Jan. 21, President Biden issued an Executive Order, Protecting Worker Health and Safety, for the purpose of further protecting workers from COVID-19.
Essentially, this EO will require the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to do the following:
- Issue revised guidance to employers regarding workplace safety during the COVID-19 pandemic within the next two weeks.
- Consider whether any emergency temporary standards for COVID-19 are needed and issue by March 15 if necessary.
- Review enforcement efforts and COVID-19-related OSHA violations that put many workers at serious risk.
- Ensure workers in OSHA state plans states are protected from COVID-19, consistent with new guidance or standards issued by OSHA.
NRCA, as a member of the Construction Industry Safety Coalition, is sending a letter to incoming Biden administration OSHA officials to provide the construction industry’s perspective regarding how best to protect workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and request a stakeholder meeting with appropriate OSHA staff to discuss how the EO will be implemented.