On June 30, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced it is extending its National Emphasis Program (NEP) for COVID-19 until further notice. The NEP was set to expire July 7.
The agency also announced it is temporarily increasing its coronavirus inspection goal from 5% of inspections to 10% while it works to finalize a permanent coronavirus healthcare standard. From March 2021 to March 2022, inspections under the NEP accounted for 7% of all federal OSHA inspections, exceeding the NEP’s 5% goal.
OSHA is raising its inspection goals in response to reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of increasing coronavirus hospitalization rates nationwide since mid-April and data forecasts that hospitalizations may increase significantly in the coming weeks.
Industries targeted under the COVID-19 NEP include ambulance and home healthcare services; general, psychiatric, and surgical hospitals; and long-term care facilities, as well as non-healthcare industries such as correctional facilities; discount department stores, groceries, supermarkets, and restaurants; meatpacking and poultry processing facilities; and warehouses and storage facilities.
OSHA has issued 1,200 coronavirus-related citations to employers since the beginning of the pandemic in February 2020. It has also assessed penalties totaling $7.2 million dollars to date. More than 400 employees who filed coronavirus retaliation claims against employers have obtained relief under OSHA’s whistleblower program, with monetary awards to employees exceeding $5 million, according to the agency.