LANSING, Mich. — State Senate Majority Floor Leader Dan Lauwers on Thursday encouraged residents to make their voices heard regarding the governor’s restrictive Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration workplace safety rules, which the administration is seeking to make permanent.
“Michigan is emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Lauwers, R-Brockway Township. “At this critical stage, as more and more people are vaccinated and are returning to in-person work, these restrictive MIOSHA rules should be put out to pasture. I strongly encourage 25th District residents, workers and businesses alike to make their voices heard and let state bureaucrats know Michigan doesn’t want or need MIOSHA’s rules.”
Under the proposed MIOSHA rules, job providers and workers may have to adhere to many emergency workplace restrictions indefinitely, including requiring employees to wear masks at all times, enforcing social distancing, and prohibiting in-person work that work may be completed remotely. As part of the proposed rules, MIOSHA could keep the directives in force after emergency orders have been rescinded.
MIOSHA recently requested that its COVID-19 emergency workplace rules be made permanent once the temporary rules expire on Oct. 14. As part of the rule-making process, all proposed rules are subject to a public comment period and a public hearing. The public comment period is open until May 26.
Lauwers directed residents to misenategop.com/WhitmerEmergency, which highlights the proposed rules and offers residents an opportunity to share their concerns. The information provided will be sent directly to the department as a public comment.
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