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Global rules on foreign direct investment (FDI)
Cross-border acquisitions and investments increasingly trigger foreign direct investment (FDI) screening requirements.
United States | Publication | July 2022
On July 14, 2022, the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced another in its enhanced enforcement initiatives to protect workers from known industry hazards.
To stress the dangers in trenching and excavation work, OSHA will use “every available tool” to address how it will evaluate penalties for trenching and excavation-related incidents, specifically including potential criminal referrals to hold employers accountable when their acts or omissions result in worker injury or death.
OSHA noted that, in the first half of this year, 22 trench incident deaths occurred, far surpassing the total for all of 2021. A cubic yard of soil weighs as much as 3,000 pounds and can result in crush and suffocation in a collapse.
Consistent with its National Emphasis Program for excavations, OSHA states it intends to perform over 1,000 random trench inspections, at any excavation site in the country.
Trenching standards require protective systems on trenches deeper than five feet and soil and other materials kept at least two feet from the edge of a trench. Additionally, trenches must be inspected by a knowledgeable person, be free of standing water and atmospheric hazards and have a safe means of entering and exiting prior to allowing workers to enter.
OSHA’s On-Site Consultation Program will assist employers in developing strategic approaches to avoid trench-related workplace incidents. Its trenching and excavation webpage provides additional information on trenching hazards and solutions, including a safety video.
Publication
Cross-border acquisitions and investments increasingly trigger foreign direct investment (FDI) screening requirements.
Publication
On February 2, 2024, the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union confirmed that the Committee of Permanent Representatives had signed the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Regulation, referred to as the AI Act. Approval by the EU Parliament followed on 13 March 2024, and the AI Act is likely to appear in the EU’s Official Journal around May 2024. The AI Act aims to establish a stringent legal framework governing the development, marketing, and utilisation of artificial intelligence within the region, thereby marking a significant advancement in the regulation of this burgeoning domain.
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The EU’s Artificial Intelligence Regulation, commonly referred to as the AI Act, is expected to come into force during the summer of 2024 (the AI Act). The AI Act will be the first comprehensive legal framework for the use and development of artificial intelligence (AI), and is intended to ensure that AI systems developed and used in the EU are safe, transparent, traceable, non-discriminatory and environmentally friendly.
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