US labor regulators consider limiting safety rules for 'inherently risky' jobs

The US Labor Department is thinking about changing how it applies workplace safety rules to jobs that are already considered dangerous. This could mean that some employers would not have to follow the same strict safety requirements for certain professional activities.

For decades, US labor law has held employers responsible for providing a safe workplace, even for jobs with inherent risks. This proposed change could create a legal carve-out, shifting some of that responsibility away from employers. It could also set a precedent for how 'inherently risky' is defined across different professions.