The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that its Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued stronger worker safety guidance to help employers and workers implement a coronavirus protection program and better identify risks which could lead to exposure and contraction. Last week, President Biden directed OSHA to release clear guidance for employers to help keep workers safe from COVID-19 exposure.

“Protecting Workers: Guidance on Mitigating and Preventing the Spread of COVID-19 in the Workplace” provides updated guidance and recommendations, and outlines existing safety and health standards. OSHA is providing the recommendations to assist employers in providing a safe and healthful workplace.

“More than 400,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 and millions of people are out of work as a result of this crisis. Employers and workers can help our nation fight and overcome this deadly pandemic by committing themselves to making their workplaces as safe as possible,” said Senior Counselor to the Secretary of Labor M. Patricia Smith. “The recommendations in OSHA’s updated guidance will help us defeat the virus, strengthen our economy and bring an end to the staggering human and economic toll that the coronavirus has taken on our nation.”

Implementing a coronavirus protection program is the most effective way to reduce the spread of the virus. The guidance announced today recommends several essential elements in a prevention program:

     - Conduct a hazard assessment.
     - Identify control measures to limit the spread of the virus.
     - Adopt policies for employee absences that don’t punish workers as a way to encourage potentially infected workers to remain home.
     - Ensure that coronavirus policies and procedures are communicated to both English and non-English speaking workers.
     - Implement protections from retaliation for workers who raise coronavirus-related concerns.

“OSHA is updating its guidance to reduce the risk of transmission of the coronavirus and improve worker protections so businesses can operate safely and employees can stay safe and working,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health Jim Frederick.

The guidance details key measures for limiting coronavirus’s spread, including ensuring infected or potentially infected people are not in the workplace, implementing and following physical distancing protocols and using surgical masks or cloth face coverings. It also provides guidance on use of personal protective equipment, improving ventilation, good hygiene and routine cleaning.

OSHA will update today’s guidance as developments in science, best practices and standards warrant.

This guidance is not a standard or regulation, and it creates no new legal obligations. It contains recommendations as well as descriptions of existing mandatory safety and health standards. The recommendations are advisory in nature, informational in content and are intended to assist employers in recognizing and abating hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm as part of their obligation to provide a safe and healthful workplace.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to help ensure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance.

The Division of Industrial Relations today announced updates to Section 618 of the Nevada Administrative Code (NAC) related to occupational safety and health training requirements for workers in the convention services industry. The updated regulations provide guidance and details on the statutory requirements found in Nevada Revised Statute Sections 618.9920 – 618.9931. 

Background:
During the 80th session of the Nevada Legislature, lawmakers adopted Senate Bill 119 which established requirements for certain workers and supervisors in the convention services industries to obtain training on relevant safety and health issues within 15 days of starting work in the industry. Workers who perform construction, installation, maintenance, operation, repair or removal of trade show or exhibition displays must be trained. The bill aligns with previously enacted rules mandating similar training requirements for workers in the construction and entertainment industries. All construction and general industry 10- and 30-hour training programs approved by the Nevada Occupational Safety and Health Administration will satisfy the training requirements for the convention services industry. 

The intent of the training requirement is to provide workers who are regularly exposed to workplace safety and health hazards with basic information about how to identify and avoid injuries and illnesses commonly associated with their work.  Convention services combine elements of construction and general industry work, making both construction and general industry training programs suitable to provide awareness level training to workers.

The statutory requirements mandating training for convention services workers became effective January 1, 2020.  The newly adopted sections of the NAC became effective on January 21, 2021, following a series of public meetings and solicitation of public comment on the regulations. The updated regulations are available for review at http://dir.nv.gov/OSHA. 

Training information, course registration for free state-sponsored training, and a list of approved private industry training providers can be found on the Division of Industrial Relations Safety Consultation and Training Section’s 10 and 30 Hour OSHA Training website- http://nv1030.org. Free training sessions provided by SCATS fill quickly and are offered based on space-limited availability requiring advanced registration.  

About the Division of Industrial Relations:
The Nevada Division of Industrial Relations is the principal regulatory agency responsible for workplace safety and worker protections in the state of Nevada. Comprised of five sections – the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Worker’s Compensation Section, the Mechanical Compliance Section, the Mine Safety and Training Section, and the Safety Consultation and Training Section – DIR works to protect Nevada’s working men and women and provides a broad scope of training and support to the regulated community. For more information, please visit http://dir.nv.gov

About Nevada OSHA:

The administrative penalties for workplace safety violations levied by the Nevada Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) against employers who are not in compliance have increased effective January 15. As a result of Senate Bill 40 - passed during Nevada’s 2019 Legislative session - the Division of Industrial Relations automatically adopts penalties in alignment with those imposed by the Department of Labor OSHA enforcement program. The Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 requires the Department of Labor to annually evaluate its civil monetary penalties to adjust for inflation no later than January 15 of each year.

As a result, Nevada OSHA’s administrative penalties will increase by 1.18%, effective immediately for any penalty assessed on or after January 15, 2020, regardless of when the inspection was opened. Nevada OSHA’s penalties for violations of the Nevada Occupational Safety and Health Act are as follows:

• For willful violations, where Nevada OSHA demonstrates that an employer knowingly failed to comply with an OSHA standard, or demonstrated a plain indifference for employee safety, the minimum penalty remains at $9,639 and the maximum penalty increases from $134,937 to $136,532.
• For repeated violations, maximum penalties will increase from $134,937 to $136,532.
• Penalties for serious violations, where workplace hazards that could cause an injury or illness that would most likely result in death or serious physical harm, the maximum penalty increases from $13,494 to $13,653.
• For each other-than-serious violation, the maximum penalty increases from $13,494 to $13,653.
• In instances where employers were previously cited and failed to correct violations, the maximum penalty increases from $13,494 to $13,653.
• For each posting requirement violation, the maximum penalty increases from $13,494 to $13,653. 

Roseman University of Health Sciences, a non-profit, private institution of higher learning is seeking a friendly, outgoing, energetic, self-starter and dependable professional to join our team as an Director of Facilities Administration. 

Founded in Henderson, Nevada in 1999 with a College of Pharmacy, we have experienced phenomenal growth and expanded our curriculum to include College of Nursing (2006), College of Dental Medicine (2007), and College of Medicine (in development).  

Roseman University of Health Sciences aspires to be the first choice among “best-in-class” institutions of higher learning, universally recognized as an innovative, transforming force in healthcare education, and as a vibrant, stimulating place to work and learn.  

We espouse the following core values which are inherent in our unique Mission and Vision. 

• Risk-taking – We value risk-taking that leads to the sustainable growth of the institution.  
• Empowerment – We value the empowerment of individuals through the provision of a collaborative, supportive environment in which to learn and to work.  
• Innovation – We value innovations in education, organizational structures and physical surroundings that create a vibrant, stimulating environment in which to work, to learn and to grow.  
• Passion & Commitment – We value passion and true commitments as the requisite components of transformational leadership in education and the health professions.  
• Individual & Collective Achievement of Excellence - We value a culture that fosters and celebrates excellence and achievement for one and all.  Now, as we celebrate our 20^th Anniversary, we look back on two decades of developing innovative programs that train a diverse student body to be exceptional leaders in their chosen field.  

As Roseman University continues to grow and evolve, we look forward to the next 20 years using our unique vision and values to lead us forward into the future. This presents a great opportunity for you!  

Director of Facilities Administration.

Under the direction of the VP for Operations, the Director of Facilities Administration manages the administrative operations of the Facilities Management Unit and supervises the Facilities administrative staff.   Responsible for effectively and efficiently managing Facilities contracts, work order systems, training platform and Facilities accounting processes.  Manages the insurance certificate process for the University to ensure that faculty, vendors, and other organizations have adequate insurance.   Effectively manages and implements Facilities processes and procedures. 

We look forward to you joining our team!

Click here for more information on the position!

Good News 2020 is over!  However, the impacts may linger if your business is looking for ways to and money the Southern Nevada Water Authority has programs that can help.  Please take a moment to view the short video that describes the SNWA Conservation Programs.  https://youtu.be/QMcKFQoonh0

Dennis Gegen is featured, he can provide information and guidance to make participation in these programs seamless.  Dennis.Gegen@snwa.com  

Southwest Clark County Public Facilities Needs Assessment (PFNA) Increase

On Tuesday, December 1, 2020, the Board of County Commissioners approved a change to the Southwest Las Vegas Valley Public Facilities Needs Assessment (PFNA) fees.  The change reallocated and increased the current fee structure and was approved to be implemented into 2 phases.  Phase I is to become effective February 1, 2021 and the second phase is to become effective July 1, 2021.  

Click here to see full notice and fee structure

Find out how PowerShift by NV Energy works with business customers to save energy and money. Network with Energy Advisors, engineers, contractors and local businesses.

Registration opens soon!  More information can be found here.

In lieu of the normal holiday party cheer and festivities, we still want to do something fun and supportive for our facilities managers in Nevada. There are so many facilities managers and their staffs who have felt the hardship or been displaced during the pandemic. We are putting together care packages that will include gift cards for groceries and other items to bring holiday cheer to them after such a tough year.

If you are a facility manager that has been displaced, or if you know of one in need, please reach out to us and let us know the situation so that we can reach out to the person appropriately. Call 702-798-5156 or email valerie@amnevada.com for additional information. Also, if you have items to donate, please let us know.

Please see the attached updated guidance from Nevada OSHA based on Declaration of Emergency Directive 035.

If you need assistance or have questions about how to implement these provisions, the Division of Industrial Relations Safety Consultation and Training Section (SCATS) offers free consultations to businesses to help them understand and implement the requirements in order to comply with the health and safety guidance and directives for all businesses, and specific requirements for each industry. SCATS can be reached by calling 1-877-4SAFENV.

DIRECTIVE 035.pdf

OSHA COVID-19 Guidance Update 11-25-2020 (1).pdf

CARSON CITY, NV — Today, Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak announced increased restrictions to help slow the spread of COVID19 in the State. The measures – informed by public health experts, business and economic leaders – go into effect on Tuesday.

The mitigation measures will last for the next three weeks, and the Governor and his administration will continue to monitor the COVID-19 trends in the State during that time frame. The emergency directive formalizing these changes will be issued Monday.

“As your Governor, I am confident that I did all I could to avoid further restrictions and keep us on the path forward, but now I must act,” Governor Sisolak said. “In this defining moment, I implore Nevadans to tap into their independent spirit and consider their own personal responsibility.”

“We decide our distance from others. We decide how long we spend in a high-risk setting. We decide whether to take the simple step of putting on a mask,” he continued. “Nevadans know that if it doesn’t feel safe, then it isn’t safe. And, if it isn’t safe, we shouldn’t be doing it right now. Ultimately, our individual actions decide whether we are going to prioritize getting our children into the classroom, allowing our businesses to operate under safe measures, and protecting our hospital system and healthcare workers.”

Under the new measures, restaurants, bars, gaming operations, gyms, fitness facilities and other businesses and activities will be limited to 25 percent of applicable fire code capacity, down from 50 percent. Retail stores – including grocery stores – will remain at 50 percent of capacity, with strict social distancing and additional monitoring requirements.

Additionally, public gatherings will be limited to no more than 50 people or 25 percent capacity, whichever is less. No large events will be approved during this time frame.   

Private gatherings will be limited to no more than 10 people from no more than two separate households, and the State’s face covering requirement will be extended to private gatherings.

Nevadans must wear face coverings at all times, whether indoors or outdoors, when around individuals from outside their households.

The new measures take effect on Tuesday, November 24th , and will last for the next three weeks. During that time frame, the Governor will continue to meet with advisors to evaluate the situation and look for signs of concerns or improvement. A copy of Governor’s prepared remarks, as well as guidance, is attached to this email. 

COVID-19 Infographic

NV SW Pause Information