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SAFETY & COMPLIANCE NEWS

Keep up to date on the latest developments affecting OSHA, DOT, EPA, and DOL regulatory compliance.

Regulations change quickly. Compliance Network ensures you never miss a relevant update with a personalized feed of featured news and analysis, industry highlights, and more.

RECENT INDUSTRY HIGHLIGHTS

Fired employee miscoded time off as FMLA leave – Employer prevails in court
2025-04-02T05:00:00Z

Fired employee miscoded time off as FMLA leave – Employer prevails in court

Jamie asked for and was granted intermittent leave under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) for a medical condition. As the expiration date for her FMLA leave approached, if Jamie wanted to extend it, she needed to complete and return a medical recertification. Jamie told her employer she wanted the extension but didn’t provide the requested certification.

The employer, therefore, denied Jamie’s request for extended FMLA leave.

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What costs the most when it comes to non-compliance
2025-04-02T05:00:00Z

What costs the most when it comes to non-compliance

One of the largest risks a motor carrier faces is a significant fine following a compliance review, safety audit, or focused investigation by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). How significant a risk is this? Based on 2024 closed enforcement data provided by FMCSA, that risk can cost over $100,000.

Most common issues at carriers with large penalties

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A $1.6 million reason to avoid sex discrimination in hiring
2025-04-02T05:00:00Z

A $1.6 million reason to avoid sex discrimination in hiring

A surefire way for an employer to upset the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is to keep recruiting and hiring notes such as:

  • “DO NOT schedule a female for this post”
  • “Post is MALE ONLY!”

It’s because of discriminatory “reminders” like these, as well as other infractions, that an Alabama contract security solutions provider must pay $1.6 million, according to an EEOC lawsuit.

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What’s your “exit strategy” for emergency sign lighting?
2025-04-02T05:00:00Z

What’s your “exit strategy” for emergency sign lighting?

Having a good exit strategy means being able to see where you are going during an emergency. OSHA regulations emphasize the importance of adequately lit exit signage to ensure the safe evacuation of employees. These rules require not only that each exit pathway be sufficiently illuminated, but also that the exit signs are clearly visible.

What does OSHA mean by “clearly visible ?”

Despite popular belief that exit signs must be self-illuminated, this is not an OSHA requirement. As long as ambient light, direct light, or emergency lighting can ensure that the exit signs remain visible at all times, then they don’t need to be electronically lighted.

What does “illuminated” mean?

OSHA requires in 1910.37(b)(6) that, “Each exit sign must be illuminated to a surface value of at least five foot-candles (54 lux) by a reliable light source and be distinctive in color. Self-luminous or electroluminescent signs that have a minimum luminance surface value of at least .06 footlamberts (0.21 cd/m2) are permitted."

OSHA defines these terms in 1910.34 as:

  • Self-luminous — a light source that is illuminated by a self-contained power source (e.g., tritium) and that operates independently from external power sources. Batteries are not acceptable self-contained power sources. The light source is typically contained inside the device.
  • Electroluminescent — a light-emitting capacitor with alternating currents that excite phosphor atoms when placed between the electrically conductive surfaces to produce light. This light source is typically contained inside the device.

Here are more definitions to help shed light on OSHA’s requirement:

  • Foot-candle — a unit of measurement that lighting professionals used to describe the amount of light that covers a one square-foot surface.
  • Lumen — The amount of visible light given off by a specific source.
  • Lux — The amount of light output over a given area.

OSHA’s 5 foot-candle requirement is not as bright as one might think. It is relatively dim, providing enough light to move around but not enough to perform detailed or concentrated activities. This would be similar to what you might see in a parking garage.

Key to remember: To ensure employee safety, OSHA requires exit signs to be sufficiently illuminated and visible to workers at all times.

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Case helps illustrate ADA’s ‘direct threat’ meaning
2025-04-01T05:00:00Z

Case helps illustrate ADA’s ‘direct threat’ meaning

As a bucket foreperson, Larry helped maintain and fix electrical facilities in the field. The job required Larry to climb up poles, work with live (potentially deadly) powerlines, and operate a bucket truck, often in extreme weather conditions and at unusual — sometimes long — hours. The company relied on two teams to perform these tasks. The bucket foreperson supervised the other linemen and always had to stay alert. The company also required bucket truck operators to possess a commercial driver’s license.

After working for the company for almost 30 years, Larry began having seizures. The seizures could last as short as a few seconds or as long as 90 seconds. During a seizure, Larry would be mentally altered and not know what was happening around him. There were no warning signs about when a seizure might occur; they were unpredictable.

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