$1.4 billion fine for fatal explosion
A California agency has issued its biggest safety fine ever in connection with an explosion that killed eight people and leveled a neighborhood.
Criminal Charges
19-year-old killed when he was pulled into wood chipper
The North Carolina Department of Labor is investigating the death of a 19-year-old worker who was killed after being pulled into a wood chipper his first day on the job.
2 owners, joint employee charged in $125K comp fraud scheme
Two California business owners and an employee with both companies were charged with multiple counts of workers’ compensation insurance fraud after an investigation revealed they conspired together to lower insurance premiums. Troy Williams, owner of Archer Building Company, John Allison, owner of Allison Development, and Nanci Mormon, an employee at both companies, were arraigned May […]
5 years later, Wal-Mart still hasn’t paid trampling death OSHA fine
Wal-Mart employee Jdimytai Damour was trampled to death in 2008 by a Black Friday crowd. OSHA fined Wal-Mart $7,000 in connection with the incident. The retail giant still hasn’t paid the fine five years later.
7 company practices that contributed to BP disaster
The final, and most comprehensive, report on the BP oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico points to seven company practices that contributed to the incident. They’re the types of mistakes that could be made by any company, not just an oil giant.
7 Most Wanted Safety Improvements from chemical board
The federal agency that investigates workplace disasters involving chemicals has identified its seven most important chemical safety improvement goals. The agency’s reason for choosing these specific goals: catastrophes that have killed dozens of workers, injured hundreds more and caused millions of dollars in property damage.
After BP report, others point safety finger back at oil company
Earlier this week, BP released its report on the causes of the April 20 explosion at the Deepwater Horizon oil rig that killed 11 workers and spilled an estimated 206 million gallons of oil into the ocean. In some quarters, the reaction to BP’s report has been anything but positive.
Attorney: Why companies should fight more OSHA citations
Recently, we wrote that an Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission ruling could make it more difficult for OSHA to get willful citations to stick. Now, a lawyer specializing in OSHA citation appeals has expressed the same opinion, and we have anecdotal evidence that this is already happening.
Biggest EHS violators identified on website — and it’s not from OSHA
While industry waits to see if OSHA will carry out its proposal to post companies’ injury records online, a nonprofit has unveiled its new website that points the finger at the biggest environmental/safety/health violators in the U.S. since 2010.
Bizarre accident: Man killed in wood chipping incident was decapitated
Authorities have corrected earlier reports that said a worker on a team clearing debris in Nevada City, CA, had been killed in a wood chipper. The machine was involved in the fatality, but the worker was not pulled into it.
Bored worker on benefits must pay back $41K
An injured Washington worker has to pay back more than $41,000 to the state for theft of workers’ compensation benefits. Gary Miller pleaded guilty to third-degree theft for stealing cash benefits from the state’s Department of Labor & Industries (L&I). Investigators found Miller held five jobs while signing official forms declaring he wasn’t working because […]
Bumble Bee to pay $6M in oven death; 2 managers will pay $30K
Pressure cooker at Bumble Bee (photo: Cal/OSHA) To settle criminal charges, Bumble Bee Foods will pay $6 million and two managers will pay a total of $30,000 in fines in connection with the death of a worker inside a tuna oven at the company’s Santa Fe Springs, CA plant.
Business owner charged in $1.1M comp fraud scheme
A Texas business owner was arrested on charges relating to a $1.1 million workers’ compensation insurance fraud scheme. Kunal “Sonny” Puri was arrested Jan. 11 for allegedly operating a long-running premium fraud scheme across several of his corporations. Puri is charged with securing execution of documents by deception with intent to harm or defraud, according to […]
Business owner faces prison, $1.5M fine in worker fatality case
The owner of a Philadelphia roofing company faces up to 25 years in prison and $1.5 million in fines in connection with the death of his employee who died after falling 45 feet.
Business owner pleads guilty to criminal charges following worker’s death
A business owner has agreed to pay $447,000 in restitution in a case that started with the death of a worker in a tortilla dough mixer.
CEO arrested in worker’s death
Authorities in California have arrested a business owner in connection with the death of a worker in a trench in January 2012.
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