No images? Click here Federal Covid-19 Workplace Safety Inspections on Rise in SouthFederal inspections targeting workplace Covid-19 hazards have increased in many southern states in recent months, while declining in the Northeast and Midwest, reversing a pattern from earlier in the pandemic. In most southern states, including Texas and Louisiana, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration conducted more inspections from May 1 through July 13 than during the same period a year ago. Read more HERE. FDA Announces New Era of Smarter Food Safety Summit on E-Commerce: Ensuring the Safety of Foods Ordered Online and Delivered Directly to Consumers.The FDA will host a virtual summit October 19-21, 2021, to convene industry and consumer experts, government officials, stakeholders and other interested parties for a discussion and exchange of perspectives about the safety of human and animal foods produced, manufactured, sold, and delivered directly to consumers through e-commerce. Summit participants will discuss the regulatory framework that apply to these foods and ways to strengthen food safety. More specifics, including information on how to register for the summit will follow in the Federal Register and on the FDA website. WFLO Hosts Delegation from the Dominican Republic at GCCA Policy ForumGCCA’s 2021 Cold Chain Policy Forum included a delegation of seven government officials from WFLO’s new USDA-funded project in the Dominican Republic, Trade Safe (TraSa), implemented by WFLO Partner IESC. The delegation was supported by IESC Director of SPS and Cold Chain Juan Jose Aracena, former ALMATRANS President Salvador Figueroa Sanchez, and GCCA Latin American Director Debbie Corado. Participants attended the Policy Forum and met with various public and private cold chain actors, including the Embassy of the Dominican Republic, Agromovil, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and United Fresh. Read more about their visit HERE. OSHA partners with National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to revise handbook for small businessesThe U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration collaborated with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to revise a handbook on workplace safety and health information for small business employers. The Small Business Safety and Health Handbook highlights the benefits of implementing an effective safety and health program, provides self-inspection checklists for employers to identify workplace hazards and review important workplace safety and health resources for small businesses. The handbook includes self-inspection checklists for various work processes in general industry workplaces, such as fire protection, hazard communication, permit-required confined spaces, respiratory protection and walking-working surfaces. The checklists are not intended for construction or maritime industries. |