Acting Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health Amanda Wood Laihow addressed over 2,000 attendees at the National Safety Council Congress in Denver this month.

In her remarks, she emphasized OSHA's balanced approach to achieving its mission to protect America's workers – one that values partnerships and strong compliance assistance as essential strategies alongside traditional enforcement. Laihow highlighted the importance of building partnerships to advance worker safety and health.

This includes:

• working more closely with small businesses
• listening to our stakeholders
• building greater collaboration
• increasing the use of compliance assistance

OSHA's longstanding alliance with the National Safety Council, a trusted leader in safety and health, underscores this commitment. For more than 20 years, OSHA and the NSC have worked side by side to prevent injuries and illnesses and help ensure every worker goes home safe and healthy.

Read more from Laihow's full remarks here.

OSHA cited a Florida roofing contractor with 10 safety violations for willfully exposing workers to fall hazards by not requiring them to wear fall protection while working at least six feet above a lower level, leading to over $700,000 in proposed penalties.

"At the Department of Labor, we are committed to doing everything in our power to put the American worker and their safety first," said Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer. "These citations are a stark reminder that workplace safety is non-negotiable, and we will carry out our duty to hold employers accountable when they put lives at risk."

A worker employed by the contractor fell through a residential roof while removing skylight fixtures. They sustained injuries and required hospitalization following the incident. OSHA found that the contractor did not install guardrails, safety nets, or harnesses, and employees did not have any other fall protection measures.

With the right safety measures in place, falls can be prevented. Employers can take steps such as providing proper fall protection equipment, ensuring walking and working surfaces are maintained and free from hazards, installing guardrails, and training workers on how to recognize and avoid fall risks. OSHA has compliance assistance resources to help keep workers safe.

OSHA Acting Assistant Secretary Amanda Wood Laihow and Deputy Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling are bringing attention to the critical importance of mental health in every aspect of life, including the workplace. Their goal is to reduce the stigma around conversations of mental health at work, and support employers, workers, and their families, by highlighting resources that may help save lives.

OSHA partners with employers, workers, labor groups, trade associations, and other interested stakeholders through its Strategic Partnership Program. These partnerships are designed to encourage, assist, and recognize efforts that eliminate serious hazards and enhance workplace safety and health.

Each partnership sets specific goals, strategies, and performance measures to enhance safety and health practices. Whether it’s construction projects, large corporations or government agencies, they focus on improving safety and health and providing resources where they are needed most. Together, we can build safety at every level.

OSHA recently renewed two national alliances to protect workers in the waste and recycling industry. OSHA's alliance with the National Waste & Recycling Association and the Solid Waste Association of North America focuses on transportation hazards such as backovers and distracted driving. OSHA and the Recycled Materials Association agreed to develop training resources and informational tools on industry safety and health hazards including hazardous energy (lockout/tagout), and heat and cold stress.

Both alliances will also address slips, trips and falls; needlestick and musculoskeletal injuries; and potential health issues associated with lithium battery hazards in waste and recycling collection and processing.

An Ohio water treatment plant earned admission into OSHA's Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program after working with our On-Site Consultation Program to eliminate workplace injuries and illnesses and improve safety and health procedures at their facility. They accomplished this by implementing measures such as improving labeling and signage used to identify the presence of chemical and physical hazards and installing an electronic communications board that is continuously updated with pertinent safety and plant information. This helped increase worker awareness and fostered a sense of personal ownership for maintaining safe working conditions.

❓ How should lithium-ion batteries be stored so they don’t cause fire hazards?

🗣️ Because lithium-ion batteries combine a flammable electrolyte with a significant amount of stored energy, thermal runaway reactions are a potential risk. Thermal runaway is a chain reaction where the heat released from the failure of one cell damages nearby cells. This can be initiated by internal short circuiting due to defects during manufacturing, mechanical damage to the battery, exposure to excessive heat or cold, and improper charging.

Safety measures to minimize the risk of fire hazards from stored lithium-ion batteries include:

• Ventilation, including local exhaust ventilation and enclosures.
• Storage of lithium-ion batteries and devices in dry, cool locations.
• Following manufacturer’s instructions for storage, use, charging, and maintenance.
• Limiting the quantity of stored lithium-ion batteries.
• Continuous monitoring for flammable and toxic gases in large storage locations.
• Disposing of lithium-ion batteries and devices containing these batteries, at designated recycling facilities and not placing them in municipal trash or recycling bins.
• Not mixing battery types (e.g., lithium-ion, alkaline, lead acid) in recycling facilities.

See our fact sheet for more information on controlling fire and other hazards associated with lithium-ion batteries.

Do you have a minute? Hear how OSHA can help employers continue their progress toward creating safer, healthier and more productive workplaces.