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Report: More OSHA guidance needed on safety incentives
For a while now, OSHA has been telling businesses that they need to take a closer look at their safety incentive programs. Now, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) says OSHA has to take a closer look at its guidance about safety incentive programs. The GAO report agrees with OSHA that safety incentive programs that are [...]
Tue, 15 May 2012 10:00:59 +0000

Job site safety doesn?t end on lunch break
Last month we told you about how a newspaper photo got an organization into trouble with OSHA. Now, fear of something similar happening cost some workers a week on the job. A newspaper snapped their photo while they were dangling their legs over the edge of an I-beam, eating lunch and watching a ball game. [...]
Fri, 11 May 2012 10:00:28 +0000

Company to pay $400K to OSHA in settlement over injuries
A New England supermarket chain will pay $400,000 in fines, hire a full-time safety officer and make other improvements in a settlement with OSHA. Market Basket settled the case after OSHA sought a court order to force the company to comply with safety regulations at its 60 locations. OSHA had fined Market Basket $589,200 after [...]
Tue, 08 May 2012 10:00:45 +0000

Tree removal worker dies at nudist club
It just goes to show that an occupational fatality can happen anywhere: OSHA is investigating the death of a tree worker at a nudist club in New Jersey. The unidentified worker was struck on the head by a falling tree limb at Sky Farm Nudist Club in Bernards Township in northern New Jersey. The man [...]
Mon, 07 May 2012 10:01:38 +0000

Fatality & previous injuries puts company in severe violator program
An engine cooling manufacturing company has been placed in OSHA’s Severe Violator Enforcement Program (SVEP) following a fatality last year and previous serious injuries to workers. The company now also owes OSHA $210,000. Adams Thermal Systems of Canton, SD, faces three willful citations. On Nov. 7, 2011, an employee, Larry Kinzer, was caught in a [...]
Thu, 03 May 2012 10:00:23 +0000

Rodent problem becomes whistleblower lawsuit
How did an employee’s complaint about a rodent problem at work turn into a whistleblower lawsuit? Short answer: He complained to OSHA and was fired a day later. The employee of Aquatech Technologies in Stuart, FL, had reported serious concerns to management about rodents and rodent droppings in the office. The company’s owner, Allan Lochhead, [...]
Tue, 24 Apr 2012 10:00:29 +0000

Report: OSHA rulemaking process takes too long
A report to Congress from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) calls the process for creating a new OSHA regulation “protracted” and “lengthy.” The GAO looked at the time it took OSHA to develop standards from 1981 to 2010. The average amount of time was over seven years. Fastest: 15 months. Longest: 19 years. Congressional leaders [...]
Mon, 23 Apr 2012 10:00:05 +0000

Did swan contribute to worker?s drowning?
OSHA is investigating the death of a worker for a company that supplied swans and dogs to keep geese away from business and residential properties. Reports suggest one of the animals may have played a part in the worker’s drowning. Anthony Hensley, 37, worked for Knox Swan and Dog LLC of North Barrington, IL. On [...]
Fri, 20 Apr 2012 10:00:23 +0000

New ruling: How far back can OSHA look for recordkeeping violations?
A new court ruling significantly changes how far back OSHA can look for violations of its standard on recording employee injuries. In a case involving Volks Constructors of Prairieville, LA, the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC) had ruled in 2011 that OSHA can look back five years for recordkeeping violations. But now the [...]
Mon, 16 Apr 2012 10:02:01 +0000

Two workers seriously burned in dust explosion: $231K OSHA fine
OSHA has cited a pasta manufacturing plant with three willful and three serious violations in connection with a dust explosion that sent two maintenance employees to the hospital with serious burns to their upper bodies. Gilster-Mary Lee Corp. faces $231,000 in fines. The explosion at its plant in Steeleville, IL, happened when the two maintenance [...]
Wed, 11 Apr 2012 10:00:05 +0000

Company that bashed OSHA on YouTube ordered to pay $42K for contempt
Companies have the right to require OSHA to get a warrant before allowing a safety and health inspection. But once OSHA has a warrant, continuing to prevent an inspection can be costly. A court has ordered a Galva, IL, pet food production and packaging facility to pay almost $42,000 in fines for contempt and attorney’s [...]
Mon, 09 Apr 2012 10:02:09 +0000

It?s tornado season: Are your workers prepared?
It’s usually video of the aftermath that shows the destructive power of tornadoes. However, the recent outbreak of twisters near Dallas provided a picture of the havoc during the storms: video of tractor trailers being picked up and dropped like toys. Click through for a link to the video and advice for safe tornado response. [...]
Mon, 09 Apr 2012 10:01:38 +0000

OSHA cutting small businesses a break on fines
A year-and-a-half ago, OSHA instituted new policies aimed at increasing average amounts for certain types of safety and health fines. After reviewing the results, the agency is making one change that actually will cut some businesses a break. In a memo released last week, OSHA said its new policy on fines “performed as intended.” The [...]
Tue, 03 Apr 2012 10:00:23 +0000

?Garbage in, garbage out? says court about OSHA injury logs
A federal court case regarding a $900 fine against a company for omitting an injury from its OSHA 300 log has resulted in sharp criticism of OSHA’s recordkeeping standard. See if you agree with the court: First, the background on the case. It involves Caterpillar Logistics Services which sells parts for tractors, earth-moving machines and [...]
Mon, 02 Apr 2012 10:02:33 +0000

Business owner where employee died arrested for lacking workers? comp insurance
Here’s proof that when an employee is killed on the job, state and federal officials will probably keep a close watch on the company where it happened, not only for safety violations, but also for its other business practices. Erasmo Ponce, the owner of a tortilla factory in Brooklyn, NY, where a worker died after [...]
Fri, 30 Mar 2012 10:00:18 +0000

Injured worker awarded $1M in retaliation lawsuit
A federal jury has awarded a railroad worker more than $1 million in a lawsuit that accused his employer of retaliating against him because he was injured on the job. Most of the award — $1 million — was in punitive damages. The jury said employee Andrew Barati should also receive $50,000 for lost earnings, [...]
Thu, 29 Mar 2012 10:00:56 +0000

Crane hook knocks over lift; worker killed
OSHA is investigating the death of a construction worker in New Hampshire who fell 15 feet from a scissor lift. Dana Lowe, 53, was on the lift when a crane hook knocked it over. Police say Lowe hit his head on a concrete floor and steel beams below. The construction worker was taken to an [...]
Wed, 28 Mar 2012 10:00:56 +0000

Repeat violations add up: $121K for fall protection violations
OSHA started this investigation after inspectors witnessed workers exposed to fall hazards at two commercial work sites in Wisconsin. As a result, GTO Contractors LLC, based in Neenah, WI, faces $121,660 in OSHA fines. All of the violations relate to failing to protect workers from falls. OSHA issued the following citations: two willful violations for [...]
Tue, 27 Mar 2012 10:00:50 +0000

OSHA tells its inspectors to look out for safety incentive programs
OSHA is telling its investigators: During inspections, watch for workplace policies and practices that could discourage workers from reporting injuries, which could be a violation of whistleblower and recordkeeping rules. Among the policies they’re told to look for: certain types of safety incentive programs. In a March 12 memo to its regional administrators and whistleblower [...]
Mon, 26 Mar 2012 10:01:49 +0000

OSHA releases revised Hazcom standard
To find out what’s in OSHA’s revised Hazard Communication Standard (HCS), you can read this 280-word story or the 858 pages that appeared in the Federal Register. We’ll also give you a link to the FR notice just in case. Those in occupational safety knew this one was coming. Europe’s adoption of the United Nations’ [...]
Wed, 21 Mar 2012 10:00:23 +0000

Worker crushed to death by pinto beans in warehouse
OSHA is trying to determine how a worker in a Brush, CO, warehouse was crushed to death by a 15-foot high pile of pinto beans. Authorities say Raymond Segura Jr., 56, was buried under the pile of beans at Kelley Bean Co. Segura was working inside a large storage warehouse where beans are brought into [...]
Tue, 20 Mar 2012 10:00:16 +0000

Worker suffocated in sunflower seeds; $812K OSHA fine
The South Dakota Wheat Growers Association has settled a case with OSHA involving the suffocation death of a worker in a sunflower seed silo. On Dec. 22, 2009, Steve Lee climbed inside a bin at a Wheat Growers’ facility in McLaughlin, SD, to see why the flow of grain had slowed. Lee was engulfed. OSHA’s [...]
Thu, 15 Mar 2012 10:00:34 +0000

Worker caught in machine, then crushed to death; $120K OSHA fine
OSHA has filed 16 safety violations against a company in Warrior, AL, in connection with the death of a worker on Sept. 12, 2011. Stella-Jones Corp., a manufacturer of railroad ties, faces $120,600 in fines. Local news reports from last September say Shannon Sullins, 34, was killed when his left arm became trapped in machinery. [...]
Wed, 14 Mar 2012 10:00:18 +0000

Is OSHA really barred from enacting a new ergonomics rule?
When Congress eliminated OSHA’s ergonomics rule in 2001, it was also generally understood that the agency could not issue a new rule that was “substantially the same” as the old one. But what if a new ergonomics rule wasn’t substantially the same? A University of Pennsylvania Law School paper, A Cost-Benefit Interpretation of the ‘Substantially [...]
Mon, 12 Mar 2012 10:02:22 +0000

Bizarre accident: Man struck, killed by excavator
Struck-by injuries aren’t unusual in construction. But the manner in which a piece of equipment was set in motion makes this case more unusual. Victor Towery was a heavy machine operator for A & A Grading and Hauling in Bessemer City, NC. A & A workers were loading a large pipe at a construction site. [...]
Mon, 12 Mar 2012 10:00:41 +0000

Court to OSHA: Violations weren?t ?willful? ? reduce the fine 90%
A federal court says because a company made some effort to comply with an OSHA standard, safety violations weren’t willful. That will reduce the OSHA fines, which were originally almost $7.5 million, by at least 90%. In October 1993 (yes this case goes back that far — we’ll get to that shortly), a Dayton Tire [...]
Fri, 09 Mar 2012 10:00:41 +0000

Inspected due to high injury rate: $175K in OSHA fines
This company got snared in OSHA’s Site-Specific Targeting (SST) program which focuses on employers with injury rates that are higher than their industry’s national average. OSHA has cited Hobart Brothers Co. of Troy, OH, for 55 safety and health violations with a total of $174,600 in fines. The company manufactures welding wire and ground power [...]
Wed, 07 Mar 2012 10:00:06 +0000

OSHA orders company to rehire worker, pay him $190K
OSHA has ordered a trucking company to immediately rehire a truck driver. The agency says the driver was fired after reporting safety concerns. According to OSHA, the driver for Interline Logistics Group LLC in Sauk Village, IL, had reported safety concerns about the brakes on his truck. The driver was told to take the truck [...]
Thu, 01 Mar 2012 10:00:15 +0000

2 Hershey contractors fined $288K by OSHA
Two companies involved in packaging Hershey’s chocolates face $288,000 in OSHA fines in connection with violations regarding foreign exchange students. On top of the OSHA violations, an organization representing guest workers calls the situation one that “kills decent U.S. jobs.” OSHA has issued nine citations to Exel, Inc., for a total of $283,000, for violations [...]
Thu, 23 Feb 2012 10:00:46 +0000

Supermarket chain put in Severe Violator Program after amputation
Publix Supermarkets faces $182,000 in OSHA fines in connection with the amputation of an employee’s hand. OSHA received a complaint in September 2011 that a worker’s hand was amputated while cleaning conveyor equipment. The safety agency has issued the following citations to Publix: one willful violation ($70,000) for failing to use procedures for the control [...]
Tue, 21 Feb 2012 10:00:54 +0000

OSHA?s new budget shows its upcoming priorities
Will OSHA conduct more inspections in federal Fiscal Year 2013 (FY 2013)? Will there be new regulations? And how does the agency plan to fund compliance assistance to companies? President Obama’s budget proposal shows what’s ahead. The overall budget for OSHA would remain almost the same at $565 million, only a  0.12% increase over this [...]
Mon, 20 Feb 2012 10:02:46 +0000

Another investigation launched into OSHA?s VPP
Questions about requirements to get into OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) date back all the way to a Government Accountability Office report in 2004. Now, yet another arm of the federal government is giving the VPP a close look. The Department of Labor’s (DOL) Office of Inspector General (OIG) will take a look at the [...]
Tue, 14 Feb 2012 10:00:03 +0000

2 teenagers suffer leg amputations; OSHA fines company
OSHA has fined an Oklahoma grain company in connection with an incident last August that caused two 17-year-olds to suffer leg amputations. The teens became caught in an inadequately guarded conveyor while cleaning out a grain flat storage structure at Zaloudek Grain Co.’s Kremlin, OK, facility. OSHA issued Zaloudek Grain four serious citations with fines [...]
Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:00:21 +0000

Former business owner faces manslaughter/homicide charges
A grand jury in New Hampshire has handed up indictments of the former owner of a gunpowder manufacturing plant in the deaths of two workers. Craig Sanborn faces manslaughter and negligent homicide charges for the deaths of two employees killed in a May 14, 2010, explosion at his Black Mag plant in Colebrook, NH. Jesse [...]
Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:00:53 +0000

No OSHA citations in deaths of 2 teenagers
OSHA says it won’t issue any citations for the incident that killed two teenage corn detasselers in Illinois last year. The federal agency says there’s no way the girls’ employers, R&J Enterprises and Monsanto Co., could have known about the hazards in the field in July 2011. Jade Garza and Hannah Kendall, both 14, were [...]
Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:00:19 +0000

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