News from APCA
Washington, D.C. Convention Cancelled
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APCA Members,
2020 has been the most unusual and challenging year in most of our lives. At APCA our objective has been to get the association back to business as usual as quickly as possible, which is why after cancelling the 2020 convention in the Bahamas, we worked diligently to promote, plan, and execute a rescheduled convention at Trump Hotel in Washington, D.C. Sadly, many of the states and cities in the U.S. have taken a very cautious approach to COVID-19 that well exceeds social distancing and wearing masks. The District of Columbia has been one of the most restrictive jurisdictions in the country, and it instituted a mandatory quarantine period for anyone traveling from 31 states (as I write this). In addition, the city government has failed to move D.C. into phase three, which would have made it legal for APCA to hold its convention in October.
Safe + Sound Partnership News
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Thank you for participating in Safe + Sound Week! Receive recognition for your efforts by downloading a certificate and a challenge coin. You can also share your Safe + Sound Week activities on social media using #SafeAndSoundAtWork. If you’re wondering what you can do to show your commitment to safety now that Safe + Sound Week is over, check out the Safe + Sound Campaign resources page to help you continuously improve your safety and health program throughout the year.
The annual Safe + Sound Partner survey is now available.
Compliance Assistance Resources: FY 2020 Q3
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The U.S. Department of Labor's Quarterly Update on Compliance Assistance Resources: FY 2020 Q3 has been published.
U.S. Department of Labor Issues Guidance to Employers to Help Protect Oil and Gas Workers During the Coronavirus Pandemic
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WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has released coronavirus-related guidance to reduce the risk of exposure to the coronavirus for oil and gas workers.
Employers with workers engaged in the oil and gas industry should remain alert to changing conditions, and implement infection prevention measures accordingly. The complete news release is available here.
OSHA Offers New Guidance for Construction on Pandemic, Masks
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On May 27, OSHA posted new guidance for the construction industry with specific tips for engineering controls, administrative controls, topics for training, and more.
Greg Guidry, Ogletree Deakins, told APCA that the guidance is notable because federal OSHA formally acknowledges that “[c]loth face coverings are not PPE.” This is important because it relieves employers of any requirement to conduct written worksite assessments and training for face coverings. Nevertheless, OSHA recommends their use in construction as a public health measure.
The guidance is at www.osha.gov/SLTC/covid-19/construction.html.
Ogletree Deakins Offers Return to Work Guide
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Ogletree Deakins, who has provided invaluable information for americanpipeline.org throughout the pandemic and to APCA for many years, has prepared a detailed Return to Work Guide that will help you develop plans to return employees to work and/or the workplace.
In short, with input from more than 30 highly experienced labor and employment lawyers, the Guide contains more than 45 pages of written analysis and recommendations on common return to work issues, plus 23 templates, flowcharts, and checklists as practical tools to help you craft and implement a strategic and safe return to work process. The firm is hosting a Return to Work webinar (https://ogletree.com/webinars/2020-04-23/return-to-work-a-guide-for-getting-the-workforce-back-into-the-workplace/) this Thursday, April 23, to discuss these and related issues.
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Almost 8 out of every 10 U.S. construction trades workers building domestic pipeline construction projects do not belong to a union, according to a Continuum Capital report.
