On June 10, U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh announced that the long-anticipated federal COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will only apply to healthcare settings. This represents a significant change from early reports that the new standard would apply to a broad range of industries, including construction. The fact that the ETS only applies to healthcare settings is a significant victory for AGC and the industry. AGC led a broad coalition effort to question the need for the standard, considering the widespread adoption of coronavirus vaccines and the fact the construction industry has been operating, safely, since the start of the pandemic. This announcement comes just a few weeks after AGC successfully convinced OSHA to suspend enforcement of the agency’s recordkeeping regulations related to adverse reactions to COVID-19 vaccines, whether required or recommended.
For more information, contact Kevin Cannon at (703)837-5410 or kevin.cannon@agc.org or Nazia Shah at (703)837-5409 or nazia.shah@agc.org.