April 17, 2013 by Fred Hosier
An OSHA inspection into the collapse of a parking garage under construction that killed four workers and injured nine others says lack of safety inspections by contractors played a significant part in the tragedy.
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Tags: buried in rubble, inspection, Miami Dade College Doral campus, parking garage collapse
March 29, 2013 by Fred Hosier
What happens when companies don’t pay federal safety fines? The feds can go to court to get an order for the company to pay up.
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Tags: D&C Mining of Kentucky, mine safety, MSHA
March 25, 2013 by Fred Hosier
OSHA decided to investigate this business because of a complaint alleging it wouldn’t allow workers to leave the building during an emergency. The investigation turned up exit problems and a whole lot more.
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Tags: electrical hazards, improperly marked exit sign, obstructed exit, OSHA fines
March 22, 2013 by Fred Hosier
A review commission has upheld an OSHA fine against a construction company in connection with the death of a worker. The commission says the company’s communication of the need for a rescue was insufficient.
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Tags: communication, construction company, lifesaving skiff, water rescue
March 15, 2013 by Fred Hosier
An AT&T technician was assaulted in an attempted robbery during a service call. OSHA says the company didn’t do enough to protect its employee in the field.
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Tags: assault-related death, AT&T, General Duty Clause, OSHA
March 4, 2013 by Fred Hosier
An employee died from injuries sustained while working with equipment that touched an overhead power line. A worker for the same company suffered injuries previously in a similar incident. Now the company faces almost half-a-million dollars in OSHA fines.
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Tags: electrocution, overhead power line, Severe Violator Enforcement Program, willful violation
February 14, 2013 by Fred Hosier
“A worker’s first day at work shouldn’t be his last day on earth,” said OSHA administrator David Michaels about a 21-year-old temporary worker who was crushed to death his first day on the job. (Updated Feb. 14 with statement from Bacardi.)
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Tags: Bacardi, crushed to death, first day on the job, lockout/tagout
February 11, 2013 by Fred Hosier
OSHA can charge up to $70,000 for each repeat violation it finds. While small businesses get a break in the size of these fines, when they’re considered repeat violations, they can still add up.
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Tags: audiogram, machine guarding, noise control, repeat OSHA violations
February 4, 2013 by Fred Hosier
For the second time in recent weeks, a company says it will contest OSHA fines in connection with the death of an employee due to heat stress.
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Tags: contest OSHA fine, General Duty Clause, heat related death, heat stress
January 18, 2013 by Fred Hosier
Do supervisors listen when employees come to them with safety concerns? Ignoring them can be costly, as this company recently found out.
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Tags: employee safety complaints, lock out machines, repeat citations, unintended machinery startup