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August 6, 2026
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PROTECTING WAREHOUSE WORKERS
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Preventing injuries starts with identifying workplace hazards before they lead to incidents. We have renewed our National Emphasis Program (NEP) to protect the safety and health of warehouse and distribution center workers. Under the renewed NEP, OSHA will conduct comprehensive inspections focused on common industry hazards, including:
- Powered industrial truck (forklift) operations
- Material handling and storage
- Walking-working surfaces, including slips, trips, and falls
- Means of egress and emergency exits
- Heat hazards
- Ergonomic risks
- Fire protection and prevention
The NEP has been extended from three years to five years, providing greater continuity in OSHA's enforcement efforts. The renewed program also provides clearer instruction on OSHA's authority to expand inspections when fatalities, catastrophes, complaints, or referrals involve establishments within the covered industries.
Employers can use this opportunity to review their workplace safety and health programs, address potential hazards, and strengthen measures that help protect workers.
For more information, read the NEP and visit our Warehousing webpage for resources to keep workers safe.
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PARTNERSHIP IN ACTION
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At the Associated General Contractors conference in Minneapolis last month, OSHA Assistant Secretary David Keeling shared a message he has heard consistently from employers across the country: they want practical resources, clear guidance, and support to identify hazards before someone gets hurt.
Keeling explained that's the goal of the OSHA CARES initiative. Through expanded compliance assistance and strengthened cooperative programs, we are working to engage employers earlier and help them build stronger, more effective safety and health programs.
He emphasized that safety suffers whenever it is treated as a competing priority with production. But when safety is embedded into how work is planned, managed, and executed every day, everyone benefits. Safety belongs to executives, project managers, superintendents, subcontractors, and every worker on the jobsite. That collective ownership is what creates lasting safety cultures.
Whether you're a general contractor, a subcontractor, a safety professional, or someone from OSHA, we have the same goal. Making sure every worker returns home safe and healthy at the end of the day.
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BEFORE YOU DIG
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Digging without knowing what's below the surface may have serious consequences. Hitting a buried utility line while digging can disrupt essential services, lead to costly repairs, or cause serious injuries or fatalities.
That is why the national 811 call-before-you-dig hotline was created. If you're planning to dig – whether you're planting a tree, installing a fence, or starting a larger project – contact 811 or visit your state's 811 website a few business days before you begin. Utility companies will mark the approximate location of buried lines with paint or flags so that you don't unintentionally dig into an underground utility line.
Protect yourself, your colleagues, neighbors, and your community! Contact your 811 center, wait for utilities to respond to your request, and ensure all lines have been marked before putting a shovel in the ground.
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DATES TO REMEMBER
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STAY SAFE AND CARRY ON
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CONNECT WITH US
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Heading to one of these upcoming safety conferences? If you missed OSHA at the Associated General Contractors conference last month, we will be at two other conferences in the coming weeks and would love to connect with you. If you are attending either of these events, please stop by the OSHA booth and say hello to our team!
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PREVENTING TRENCH CAVE-INS
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BUILDING SAFETY FROM DAY ONE
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Jordan Foster Construction is partnering with OSHA to help protect approximately 250 workers during the multi-year construction of a 70-acre Public Safety Training Academy Campus in El Paso, Texas.
Through the partnership, workers will receive site-specific safety training in English and Spanish. The company will also conduct regular site-wide safety inspections to identify and correct hazards, address any emerging health concerns during weekly meetings, require subcontractors to follow an approved written safety and health program, and ensure cranes are certified and operated by competent and certified workers.
Once completed, the facility will provide safety training for police and firefighters that will help protect them and the public they serve.
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KEEPING SAFETY ON TRACK
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A public transit employee noticed some damage on the tracks that could cause railcars to derail if left unrepaired. After reporting the hazard, the employee's manager said there wasn't time to make repairs because service would be disrupted. The manager then reassigned the employee to the night shift and removed them from rail repair work.
The employee filed a whistleblower complaint with OSHA. An investigation found that the site manager's actions violated the National Transit Systems Security Act, which protects public transportation workers from retaliation for reporting potential safety or security violations. As a result, the employee's original work schedule was restored, and the track damage was reported to the Federal Transit Administration.
This case is a reminder that workplace safety is a shared responsibility. Workers have the right to report safety concerns without fear of retaliation, and speaking up can help prevent serious incidents before they happen. If you believe you were retaliated against for exercising your legal rights, you can file a whistleblower complaint with OSHA.
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HOT OFF THE PRESS
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YOU ASK...WE ANSWER
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❓ Is it required for a trash collector to wear reflective clothing when they ride on the back of a garbage truck?
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