b'(continued from page 16) This is where employee feedback really comes into play.employers, demonstrating our opinion letter program has Employee feedback was central to Godwins approach.already been effective," said Deputy Labor Secretary Field workers often see problems that leadership misses,Keith Sonderling. "This effort is a key component of the and they need to feel safe speaking up about them. Trump Administration\'s comprehensive strategy toGodwin fostered a culture where feedback was not onlyeducate the public and empower employers to keep their welcomed but acted upon. Give the voice to the people isworkers safe." the way I see it, and if you give them the voice, you create a culture of safety, he says. Maybe theres a differentLetters of interpretation issued this year address thetype of PPE [you] could be buying. Maybe [you] boughtfollowing situations: something and [you] got a good deal on it, but it was Permit Required Confined Space: Whether the confined terrible and didnt perform well. Getting employee space standard requires employers to drain water feedback helped Godwin and BCR ensure they were from pipes before entering for repairs, even when a getting the right safety equipment and tools for hazard assessment shows no risk of rupture or leaks. employees, as well as implementing safe and productiveEnforcement Stay of the COVID-19 Recordkeeping and daily processes.ADAPTING TO CHANGEReporting Requirements under 29 CFR 1910.502: The Fleet safety should be something that evolves over time,enforcement status of OSHA\'s COVID-19 reporting and but there are also unexpected situations that need to berecordkeeping requirements. considered, such as weather extremes. Thats whyGodwin stayed ready to pivot. A lot of [BCRs] opera- Requirements Powered Industrial Truck Training Pro-tions are in the southern U.S.; [during a very hot summer]gram Implementation: Whether an employee canwe had to enact policies to deliver water to [workers], hedemonstrate competence and knowledge in operating says. A lot of [BCRs] sites didnt have potable waterpower industrial trucks via a live-streamed session. onsite, so we had a guy in a pickup truck driving around all day with a cooler full of ice-cold water. Godwin saysSoftware used to generate equivalent OSHA Forms 300 that they made sure employees understand common safetyand 300A: If companies are permitted to use their own issues relating to climate, including signs of heat software-generated documents to replace OSHA Form exhaustion and hypothermia, which went a long way in300 and Form 300A for recordkeeping. keeping them safe in the field. For Godwin, fleet safety goes beyond compliance Engineering controls under the Benzene and 1,3-checklists or top-down mandates, but rather enables Butadiene standards: Whether installing bellow valves, employees to understand potential risks and raise leak-proof, or double-seal valves qualifies asconcerns that help keep the whole team safe.engineering controls. by Rachael PlantAudiometric testing of a worker who may have a cochlear implant: How audiometric testing applies to workers using cochlear implants. Stair Angle and Tread Depth Requirements: Whether stair and tread angles of specific dimensions comply with US Department of Labor Issues 7 letters of OSHA\'s standard on stairways. Interpretation Addressing Workplace Safety,Health RequirementsIn June, Deputy Secretary of Labor Keith Sonder-ling announced the launch of the department\'s opinion WASHINGTONThe U.S. Department of Labor\'s letter program. This initiative reinforces the department\'s Occupational Safety and Health Administration commitment to offering valuable compliance assistance announced today that it has issued seven letters of for workers, employers, and other stakeholders to help interpretation to ensure the consistent and transparent them comprehend how federal labor laws pertain toapplication of federal workplace safety and health stand- specific workplace scenarios. ards. As part of the Trump Administration\'s broader emphasisThe public is encouraged to visit OSHA\'s Letters of Inter-on compliance assistance, OSHA\'s letters of interpretationpretation page to review previous guidance and submit provide official explanations of the agency\'s requirementsnew requests. These letters provide clear explanations that and how they apply to specific workplace situations andsupport compliance and training requirements, helping to hazardous conditions posed by employers, employees, orkeep America\'s workers safe and healthy. other parties."From construction to engineering, OSHA is providing decisive guidance after gathering feedback from20'