OSHA Hour: The Occupational Safety and Health Issues Raised by Returning Employees to Work in Essential Industries

Although the majority of essential businesses have continued to operate throughout the pandemic, many have done so with a reduced workforce or scaled-down operations. Finally, the time has come to gradually ramp up to normal operating levels and bring more employees back to work. However, as employers put plans in place to do so, they are facing a variety of difficult issues: Which new guidelines or mandates must they follow to protect employees? Do face coverings qualify as personal protective equipment and must employers provide them? How can employers get employees to buy into their new safety measures? What are the enforcement trends with respect to Occupational Safety and Health Administration complaints involving essential industries and what can be learned from them? How do employers manage employees who refuse to return to work or those who are unwilling to report their safety and health concerns? What happens when a critical infrastructure worker is exposed to COVID-19? In this webinar, the speakers will address these questions and other evolving legal issues for essential businesses.