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Safety News Roundup: January 2022 in Review

Jan. 28, 2022
Stay warm and dry—and get caught up on the month’s safety news.

There’s been a hefty amount of news and snow accumulation this January. And, if you live on the East Coast, you could be facing anywhere from a few inches to a couple feet this weekend, courtesy of Winter Storm Kenan.

Even if you aren’t getting any more snow, you may still have a blanket of snow cover. One idea of what to do with it: make homemade ice cream. We are intrigued, but ultimately too lazy, to recreate the delectable treat that Alexis Nikole Nelson made in her very own backyard. Thankfully, our freezer is already stocked with Mitchell’s Ice Cream—a Cleveland institution, in our humble opinion.

COVID-19 cases saw all-time pandemic highs this month. Experts are optimistic that the sharp uptick in cases, driven largely by the omicron variant, are starting to decline. But for the coming days and weeks, it's a lot more of the same concerns, fears and exhaustion we've experienced these past two years. 

There’s been a lot of news out of Washington this month, and we’re all trying to keep track of the latest. The Supreme Court of the United States' verdict triggered a torrent of reactions and responses. Also this month, the Biden-Harris administration started releasing non-medical N95 masks from the Strategic National Stockpile and sending rapid at-home COVID-19 tests. And, according to our website traffic, you’re also wanting to know what Cal/OSHA is doing, how to overcome safety complacency and Terry L. Mathis’ latest column.

We’ve got all that and more in this month’s recap.

One other thing to note: Planning for the 2022 Safety Leadership Conference is in full swing. The call for speakers is open till Feb. 25. If you have a story to share about how you helped improve your company’s safety efforts, we want to hear it! Learn more here

Regulatory Update: Cal/OSHA Extends and Changes COVID ETS

Employers must exclude employees who had contact with a positive individual.

Read more here.

OSHA Ends Healthcare ETS

Agency will continue enforcing recommended practices while working on a permanent rule.

Read more here.

How to Overcome Safety Complacency in the Workplace

Training supervisors and frontline employees to ask effective questions at strategic moments can help trigger critical thinking and situational awareness.

Read more here.

The Top 10 EHS Trends of 2021

A recap on the year’s major developments—and a look at how they will shape workplaces for months and years to come.

Read more here.

Supreme Court Says No to OSHA Employers Vaccine-or-Test Mandate

The mandate oversteps the existing OSHA emergency standards and raises questions about the separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches of government, the court said.

Read more here.

You Can't Go Home Again

The post-pandemic world has been changed in ways that will never be the same as they once were.

Read more here.

Insurers to Pay for At-home COVID Tests

The latest move from the Biden-Harris administration requires private insurers to pay for eight COVID-19 tests per person per month.

Read more here.

Top 10 OSHA Violations of 2021

OSHA reveals the biggest danger areas in workplaces as reflected in the number of citations.

Read more here.

Exoskeletons Reduce Injury, Can Workers Handle the Additional Cognitive Demands?

New study says that trying to solve problems while using the exoskeleton, employees lost the biomechanical benefits provided by the exoskeleton.

Read more here.

The Most Popular Stories of 2021

Here are the year's most clicked stories on EHS Today.

Read more here.

About the Author

Nicole Stempak

Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.

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