According to OSHA<\/a>,<\/p>\n
OSHA finally issued its long-awaited worker walkaround rule this morning. Issuance of this regulation is one of the most important worker regulatory achievements of the Biden Administration.<\/p>\n
The rule clarifies how workers can choose their walk-around representatives during OSHA inspections.<\/p>\n
Choosing someone to walk around with OSHA inspectors during an inspection is one of the most important rights that workers have under the Occupational Safety and Health Act.<\/p>\n
But in practice, the right has largely been limited to those workers with union representation, and mostly to workers who actually work in the inspected workplace.<\/p>\n
Where there is no walkaround representative, the law directs OSHA inspectors only to \u201cconsult with a reasonable number of employees concerning matters of health and safety in the workplace.\u201d<\/p>\n
This regulation will allow non-union workers to choose their walkaround reps \u2013inside the workplace, or from outside \u2014 from a workers rights group, a union, or safety, industrial hygiene or toxicology experts.<\/p>\n
A non-union representative may accompany the OSHA inspector as long as the<\/p>\n
non-employee representative may be reasonably necessary based upon skills, knowledge or experience. This experience may include knowledge or experience with hazards or conditions in the workplace or similar workplaces, or language or communication skills to ensure an effective and thorough inspection.<\/p>\n
The rule has faced fierce opposition<\/a> from the business community which has falsely accused OSHA of changing OSHA’s traditional practice in order to help unions organize non-union workplaces.<\/p>\n According to OSHA<\/a>,<\/p>\n
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