On July 30, OSHA revised its internal procedures for accessing employee medical records. The final rule shifts the authority for access from the assistant secretary of occupational safety and health to the OSHA medical records officer.

Workers’ health and safety are increasingly at risk due to the impacts of climate change that include excessive heat, extreme weather, increasing air and water pollution, and infectious diseases, according to a new report issued July 28 by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).

The rate of nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses has declined from 10.9 cases per 100 full-time employees in 1972 to 2.8 cases in 2018, the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) noted in its monthly publication, Beyond the Numbers.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) reported 25,168 drug violations among commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers for 2020 as of June. On July 13, the FMCSA released a June monthly report for its Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse.

July 30, 2020 (Final Rule) - OSHA issued a final rule to amend the regulation addressing the rules of agency practice and procedure concerning OSHA access to employee medical records. The final rule transfers the approval of written medical access orders (MAO) from the Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health (Assistant Secretary) to the OSHA Medical Records Officer (MRO) and makes the MRO responsible for making determinations regarding interagency transfer and public disclosure of personally identifiable medical information in OSHA's possession.