Producers excluded from COVID-19 emergency temporary standard

Stanley

The Department of Labor released an emergency temporary standard this month targeting health care, but the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA) reports that the standard does not cover other workplaces under the jurisdiction of the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) or the Mine Safety & Health Administration (MSHA).

Michele Stanley, vice president of government and regulatory affairs at NSSGA, issued a statement of appreciation directed toward the Biden administration for excluding the aggregate industry from the COVID-19 emergency temporary standard.

“This is a positive recognition of the steps already taken by our member companies, which was achieved through diligent engagement with Congress, at the Office of Management & Budget and the Department of Labor,” Stanley says. “For over a year, NSSGA has been working to educate policymakers about the enhanced measures our members have taken to keep essential employees safe while producing the construction materials needed to continue building roads, bridges and highways that our country has continued to utilize during the pandemic. We are glad this issue is finalized, as NSSGA was successfully able to share the extraordinary lengths its members have taken to keep their employees safe during this unique time.”

In addition to the health care-focused emergency temporary standard, OSHA issued updated guidance for employers and workers in other industries to protect those who are still not vaccinated.