Posted by LaborLawGuy | Posted on 04-03-2009
Category : Federal Labor Law, Random Musings
Tags: OSHA
I was grateful to learn today that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has clarified its position on modification practitioners.
Say who?
It’s a fancy term for tattooists and body-piercing artists (I’m not sure artists applies, but whatever), and OSHA has stepped in with a Letter of Interpretation (LOI) about training requirements for said manipulation practitioners.
In answer to the question, “Does OSHA consider generic bloodborne pathogens training to be sufficient for modification practitioners (tattooing and body piercing artists), or should annual training be specific to the unique procedures and practices within the industry (i.e., industry-specific training)?” Richard E. Fairfax, OSHA’s director of the agency’s Enforcement Programs Directorate, noted that 29 CFR 1910.1030(g)(2) does require that all employees with occupational exposure to blood and OPIM* receive initial and annual training on the hazards involved and how to avoid them.
“While the provisions for employee training are performance oriented, with flexibility allowed to tailor the program to, for example, the employee’s background and responsibilities, the categories of information listed in paragraph 1910.1030(g)(2)(vii) must be covered, at a minimum.”
That’s probably more than any of us would care to know about OSHA and tattoos and body piercings, but if you’re curious, you can go to OSHA.gov to the What’s New section for Feb. 28, 2009.
* Other Potentially Infectious Material, and yes, I had to look it up.
Posted by LaborLawGuy | Posted on 04-02-2009
Category : Federal Labor Law, Random Musings, State Labor Law
Tags: OSHA, OSHA Compliance
An undercover reporter for New York’s Daily News recently paid $125 to attend an OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) 10-hour training class.
The class was over in 2 hours, 17 minutes. Held above a Bronx bar, the course enabled several of the attendees to slip away on breaktime to sip beers downstairs.
Nice gig if you can get it. I suppose all the attendees were awarded OSHA course completion certificates at the conclusion.
(Mind you, these courses are not run by OSHA, but by OSHA-certified trainers.)
When pressed, OSHA said it was looking into the matter. Will that include sampling the available beers at the site? Gotta make sure that the bar has its proper OSHA notifications posted.
The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), which has drawn a lot of fire from labor rights groups–as has the whole Department of Labor–for lax workplace regulation under the Republicans, recently posted its 2008 Top Ten List of most commonly cited standards (in other words, standards that resulted in the most citations for violations).
Construction came out in the top two spots, the first relating to scaffolding and the second to fall prevention. (Somehow, these two seem intertwined, don’t they?)
For the full list, plus another list on violations that resulted in the most fines, go to this OSHA page.
