Round 100 lawmakers urge OSHA to issue long run regular on COVID-19 for total well being therapy staff | 2022-01-12

Washington — Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) has joined 114 different members of Congress in contacting on OSHA to issue a long-lasting regular on COVID-19 focused on well being and health care staff.

In a letter dated Jan. 11 and handled to President Joe Biden, the lawmakers cite the trendy surge in COVID-19 conditions involving the omicron variant for the necessity to drastically improve protections for these employees, who’re “exhausted and scared” and “past their breaking particulars.”

The letter continues: “We’re in decided will want of a continued sturdy, enforceable standard to provide full protections for these employees for the size of the pandemic. Any maintain off in issuing a closing widespread immediately places these employees throughout the nation at probability of illness and lack of life on account of COVID-19.”

 

In a Dec. 27 assertion, OSHA declared it was withdrawing the non-recordkeeping parts of its disaster short-term widespread centered on well being and health therapy staff, however it might “work expeditiously” to problem a closing rule. OSHA initially adopted the ETS on June 21.

In a press launch from Dingell’s workplace surroundings, Zenei Triunfo-Cortez, president of Nationwide Nurses United, which signifies additional than 175,000 registered nurses, reiterates the lawmakers’ join with for OSHA to challenge a everlasting standard.

“We’re in determined will want of ongoing federal requirements to make sure that we get the protections we need to do our work safely on this pandemic,” Triunfo-Cortez claimed.