The federal government’s failure to track most work-related Covid-19 deaths has allowed employers to minimize their safety responsibilities by blaming outbreaks on infections at home, according to the AFL-CIO’s new Death on the Job report.
“There remains no comprehensive national surveillance system to collect case information by industry and occupation, and employer reporting of Covid-19 cases still is mandatory only in a few states with specific standards or orders,” the report released Tuesday said.
The lack of data also enabled employers to challenge the need for an Occupational Safety and Health Administration standard to prevent workplace infections, the report said. ...