OSHA has issued an alert about severe injury hazards in the food processing industry. According to industry data for 2015-22, food and beverage processing machinery and butchering machinery were the primary contributors to severe injuries in the industry.

Compliance inspections completed in 2022-23 show an increase in fatalities and amputations among young workers in the industry, the agency reports, pointing to insufficient training as a root cause. “Employers should focus appropriate attention to ensuring younger and inexperienced workers receive sufficient instruction and oversight,” OSHA say. Increased reliance on temporary and contract workers is another contributing factor. The alert advises employers to conduct job hazard assessments of all machinery, drawing specific attention to OSHA’s lockout/tagout regulations (29 CFR 1910.147) and the proper use of measures such as guards, presence-sensing devices and trip devices.

OSHA published a final rule clarifying the rights of employees to authorize a representative to accompany a compliance offer during an inspection of their workplace.

According to the final rule, a non-employee representative may be “reasonably necessary based upon skills, knowledge or experience,” which may include knowledge or experience with hazards or conditions in the workplace or similar workplaces, or language or communication skills to ensure an effective and thorough inspection.

“These revisions better align OSHA’s regulation with the OSH Act and enable the agency to conduct more effective inspections, “OSHA says, adding that its “regulations require no specific qualifications for employer representatives or for employee representatives who are employed by the employer.”

While drug testing is allowed in all 50 states, it’s important to consider several developments related to medical cannabis. While safety professionals don’t usually get involved in drug testing as a term of employment or random testing (that’s a job for HR), there are some ways that safety professionals may touch on the use of drug testing in their organizations through reasonable suspicion or a safety incident.

As medical cannabis use expands in states across the U.S., and signs point toward federal legalization in the future, safety professionals must know the implications for workplace safety.

Not only are more states legalizing medical cannabis, but more doctors are also prescribing it rather than heavy-duty pain-relief options like opiates. As adoption and use increases, more cases come up in the courts about how to address medical cannabis in the workplace, prompting many states to reevaluate their laws as the landscape evolves.