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.