The Division of Industrial Relations has adopted an emphasis program to ensure that employees in high-hazard industries or workplaces are protected from contracting SARS-CoV-2, the cause of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).
On January 21, 2021, President Biden issued a Presidential Executive Order on Protecting Worker Health and Safety, which directed the United States Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to launch a national program to focus OSHA enforcement efforts related to COVID-19 on violations that put the largest number of workers at serious risk, and to enforce OSHA’s anti-retaliation mandates.
Nevada OSHA, operating as an approved state enforcement program, is implementing the provisions of the national program throughout the state of Nevada to supplement the agency’s existing COVID-19 mitigation and enforcement efforts.
The adoption of this new program will guide the agency’s continuing COVID-19 compliance efforts within industries identified through national and state data as being at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure in the workplace. High-hazard industries identified in the emphasis program include: healthcare, construction, food and agriculture, energy, transportation and logistics, manufacturing and gaming. The list of targeted NAICS codes is included in the Attachment.
The program will permit Nevada OSHA to realign inspection resources in a manner that will protect the largest number of workers likely to be exposed to COVID-19 based on their job duties, which will in turn reduce the number of unplanned visits conducted in low-risk industries. Nevada OSHA will also continue to respond to complaints of workplace health and safety concerns from any industry.
The COVID-19 national emphasis program as adopted by Nevada OSHA is available for review at https://dir.nv.gov/OSHA/Regulations/
Free Safety Consultation Services Available
Nevada’s Safety Consultation and Training Section’s (SCATS) on-site safety and health consultation service can provide your company with a completely confidential safety and health consultation at no charge. An on-site consultation visit can be limited in scope to cover specific areas of your facility or expanded to cover the entire facility and a review of your safety and health programs. SCATS safety and health consultants are specifically trained to assist in correcting occupational safety and health hazards. To request this valuable free service or for additional information call (702) 486-9140. Please mention code “NEP” to receive priority service for a consultation survey of your facility or jobsite.