Compliance rates with the state’s health mandates, on follow-up visits, edged lower during Thanksgiving week in Southern Nevada, though rates have remained over 90% since the Division of Industrial Relations Nevada Occupational Safety and Health Administration began conducting on-site visits.
Nevada OSHA officials have seen a 96% statewide compliance rate and a 97% rate in the north and 93% compliance rate in Southern Nevada on follow-up visits since compliance checks began in late June.
“During the week beginning Nov. 21, officials conducted 56 follow-up visits, finding 100% compliance in northern Nevada and 75 percent compliance in southern Nevada,” a release from the Division of Industrial Relations stated.
Since observations began 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 10,303 initial visits at business establishments, finding a cumulative 89 percent statewide compliance rate, a 91 percent compliance rate in northern Nevada and 88 percent compliance in southern Nevada.
During the week beginning Nov. 21, officials conducted 33 initial visits, finding a 100 percent compliance rate statewide.
Currently, there are 18 active inspections in the state in relation to noncompliance by Nevada OSHA. Businesses could be issued citations if the violations are found to be substantiated during the investigation period.
Overall, Nevada OSHA has issued a total of 188 notices and penalties over violations of the state’s COVID-19 health and safety measures. The measures went into effect in mid-March.
“The citations have been issued as a result of both the employer observation process as well as through the investigation of employee complaints or public referrals,” the release states.
Complaints from employees and referrals from the public have also been part of the oversight process. Of the 4,902 complaints received, 28 percent of the complaints concern general retail, followed by 17 percent for restaurants and bars, 8 percent about medical facilities, 6 percent concern casinos and gaming and 5 percent about grocery stores.
Additional complaint data is available at http://dir.nv.gov
For workplace health and safety complaints, head to https://www.osha.gov/pls/osha7/eComplaintForm.html