OSHA Updates
Discussion
OSHA Launches Safety Champions Program
On March 16, 2026, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) launched the Safety Champions Program, a new cooperative initiative designed to help employers develop and implement effective workplace safety and health programs with a philosophy of continuous improvement aimed at preventing workplace injuries, illnesses, and fatalities. The program offers three progressive steps: Introductory, Intermediate, and Advanced, which are aligned with OSHA’s recommended practices for safety and health programs, allowing employers to develop safety programs at their own pace and tailor the programs to their specific needs. Participants can work independently or with experienced Special Government Employees who provide guidance and technical assistance.
OSHA Cites Massachusetts Contractor Following Fatal Cave-In Incident
On April 1, 2026, and following a fatal trench collapse at a Yarmouth, Massachusetts worksite in November 2025, OSHA announced citations to Revoli Construction Co. Inc. for seven willful, 33 repeat, and 17 serious violations, assessing over $4.6 million in proposed penalties. The violations included failures to provide adequate cave-in protection, a safe means of trench exit, proper shoring systems, and appropriate spoil pile distance from the excavation, among other electrical and fall hazards. The size of the penalty reflects the severity and repeat nature of the violations, particularly where violations are willful or repeat in nature. This case underscores the importance of employers periodically reviewing their workplace safety programs and practices for compliance with applicable OSHA standards and taking advantage of OSHA’s free compliance assistance resources to proactively identify and address potential hazards before they result in workplace injuries.
OSHA Updates NEP for Heat-Related Illness
On April 10, 2026, OSHA issued an updated National Emphasis Program (NEP) for indoor and outdoor heat hazard prevention, effective immediately. The revised NEP is set to remain in place for five years and expands the industries targeted for enforcement, adding 22 new industries to the list, including construction, farming, manufacturing, retail, transportation, warehousing, and restaurants. The NEP also introduces new citation guidance requiring inspectors to document weather conditions such as heat index, government heat alerts, wind speed, and relative humidity before issuing a citation. OSHA compliance officers will continue to expand any inspection where heat-related hazards are present on heat priority days and will conduct random inspections in high-risk industries on days when the National Weather Service issues a heat advisory or warning. Although OSHA’s rulemaking effort to establish a permanent federal heat injury and illness prevention standard remains pending, the revised NEP provides an enforceable framework in the interim through the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act’s general duty clause. Employers in covered industries should review and update written heat illness prevention programs, implement hazard reduction measures, and review compliance with OSHA’s reporting obligations for work-related heat injuries.
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