b'SAFETYOSHAS NEW NATIONAL EMPHASIS PROGRAMDIRECTED TO WAREHOUSING AND DISTRIBUTION CENTER OPERATIONSBy Lindsey Deck, Auman Mahan & FurryThis emphasis program allows OSHA to direct resources to establishments where evidence shows employers must be more intentional in addressing the root causes of worker injuries and align their business practices with the goal to ensure worker health and safety. ~ Doug Parker, Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and HealthT heOccupationalSafetyandHealthretail establishments, inspections will be partial Administration (OSHA) recently issuedinspections unless OSHA expands the scope, after anewNationalEmphasisProgramfinding evidence that violative conditions may be (NEP), this one directed toward warehousingfound in other areas of that establishment.and distribution center operations. The NEP wasOSHAs focus for this NEP will focus on workplace issued after the Bureau of Labor Statistics historyhazards common to the above listed industries and showed that injury and illness rates for thesemay include, but are not limited to, the following:particular establishments are significantly higher than for other establishments. The three (3) year Powered industrial vehicle operations;NEP, which became effective on July 13, 2023, provides policies and procedures for inspections Material handling/storage;of warehousing and distribution center operations, Walking/working surfaces;mail/postal processing and distribution centers, parcel delivery/courier services, and certain high-Means of egress; injury rate retail establishments. All inspections conducted under this NEP, except for high-injury Fire protection; andrate retail establishments, will be comprehensive Heat and ergonomic hazards 1safety inspections. In the case of high-injury rateContinued on page 3332 www.mrca.orgMidwest Roofer'