Las Vegas, NV October 19, 2020
One
citation for violations of required COVID-19 workplace health and safety
measures were issued last week by the Division of Industrial Relations’ Nevada Occupational
Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Agency officials monitor and enforce compliance
through in-field observations and through investigations opened in response to
complaints and referrals filed with OSHA.
The citations was issued after an investigation was initiated as a
result of a complaint or referral filed with Nevada OSHA alleging workplace
safety hazards.
Reno Cab
Company 475 Gentry Way, Reno, NV 89502, Penalty:
$8,501, Violation Summary: Lack of face coverings not being worn by employees
and social distancing requirements were not being enforced within the company’s
office facilities
Nevada OSHA has issued a total of 172 notices of citation and
penalty related to violations of required COVID-19 health and safety measures
in effect since mid-March.
Observation Findings: Initial
Since
observations began in late-June to determine compliance with mandated health
and safety measures under the Governor’s Declaration of Emergency Directive 024
and Nevada OSHA’s Guidance for Roadmap to Recovery, DIR officials have
conducted 9,293 initial visits at business establishments finding a cumulative 89
percent statewide compliance rate, a 90 percent compliance rate in northern
Nevada and 87 percent compliance in southern Nevada.
During
the week beginning October 12, officials conducted 163 initial visits across
the state at a wide range of business sectors finding a 96 percent compliance
rate statewide. Eighteen of the 21 business categories were 100 percent
complaint. The three business categories with less-than-perfect compliance
during the week of October 12 include:
- Convenience
stores, 8 observations- 88 percent compliance
- Restaurants,
27 observations- 89 percent compliance
- Other,
19 observations- 90 percent compliance
Observation Findings: Follow Up
Since
observations to determine compliance with mandated health and safety measures
began, DIR officials have conducted 1,720 follow up visits finding a cumulative
96 percent statewide compliance rate with a 97 percent compliance rate in
northern Nevada, and 93 percent in the south.
During
the week beginning October 12, officials conducted 38 follow up visits finding
100 percent compliance.
Complaint
Data
In addition to
the field observation process, Nevada OSHA continues to respond to complaints
and referrals regarding face coverings, social distancing, cleaning and
disinfection, and other areas of concern related to COVID-19 received by their
offices. Of the 4,330 complaints received, 28 percent of the complaints concern
general retail followed by restaurants and bars, 18 percent; medical
facilities, 7.5 percent; casinos and gaming, 6 percent; and grocery stores, 5.5
percent.
The top five
zip codes for complaints, to-date, include:
- 89502
(Reno), 226 complaints
- 89109
(Las Vegas, Unincorporated), 199 complaints
- 89119
(Las Vegas, Unincorporated), 149 complaints
- 89431
(Sparks), 149 complaints
- 89434
(Sparks), 133 complaints
Additional
complaint data is available on the Division’s observation and complaint data
dashboard. A link to the dashboard can
be found on the homepage of the Division’s website http://dir.nv.gov.
Workplace health and safety
complaints can be reported to the Division by filing an online complaint at https://www.osha.gov/pls/osha7/eComplaintForm.html.
Important Information for Employers
The Division’s
Safety Consultation and Training Section (SCATS) also 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.
About the Division of Industrial Relations:
The Nevada Division of Industrial Relations (DIR) is the
principal regulatory agency responsible for workplace safety and worker
protections in the state of Nevada. Comprised of five sections
–Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Workers’ Compensation Section,
Mechanical Compliance Section, 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:
Nevada OSHA operates as an approved state program as
defined by section 18 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 and is
required by the Act to operate in a manner that is at least as effective as the
federal OSHA enforcement program. Operating out of district offices in
Las Vegas and Reno, Nevada OSHA conducts inspections and investigations
intended to identify hazardous conditions which could harm Nevada’s workers and
enforces state and federal laws protecting the state’s workers. From July 2018
to June 2019, Nevada OSHA conducted over 1,060 inspections, issuing an average
of 1.4 serious violations per inspection. The Nevada State Plan, at the time of
publication of this media release, is funded by a grant of $1,486,600 federal
funds, which constitutes 50 percent of the State Plan budget. Fifty percent, or
$1,486,600 of the State Plan budget, is financed through non-governmental
sources. For more information visit http://dir.nv.gov/OSHA/home.
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