18-year-old worker almost killed first day on job; OSHA issues $152K in fines
A roofer without fall protection was almost killed his first day on the job. OSHA found out and issued $152,145 in fines.
Enforcement
2 companies slammed with $2M in OSHA fines for asbestos violations
An Illinois construction company brought non-English speaking workers to the U.S. and knowingly exposed them to asbestos, according to OSHA. Now two companies face almost $2 million in fines.
3 current OSHA enforcement areas and what they have in common
The head of OSHA’s Directorate of Enforcement Programs recently laid out three areas which the agency is currently focusing on. At first glance, they may not seem to have much in common, but they share one detail regarding OSHA enforcement.
3 inspections later, company faces $735K in OSHA fines
Companies that OSHA places in its Severe Violator Enforcement Program (SVEP) can count on multiple safety inspections with accompanying large fines for infractions.
4 new/revised OSHA regs in first 4 months of 2016?
Time is running out for OSHA under the Obama administration to complete some of its regulatory priorities. If OSHA stays on track, some new and revised regs could debut early in 2016.
5 audits looking at effectiveness of OSHA
Sometimes the people who do the inspecting get inspected, too. As part of its 2015 Workplan, the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) will continue or begin five audits to determine OSHA’s effectiveness.
5 OSHA proposals that business groups fear most
The U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has issued a report on regulatory impediments to job creation. The report lists five OSHA proposals that business groups say would inhibit job growth.
6 months after mine disaster: Why are more miners dying?
Six months ago, 29 men died in the worst U.S. coal-mining disaster in 40 years. Since then, another 13 miners have died, despite a crackdown by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA). What’s going on?
62 violations of same standard since 1998; now $186K in new fines
A New Hampshire company has been cited 62 times for violations of OSHA’s lead standard since 1998. Now it faces $185,900 in additional fines for, you guessed it, new violations of the lead standard.
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.
80 deaths at VPP sites since 2000
An eight-month investigation reveals 80 employee deaths at companies in OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) between 2000 and 2008. What may be even more shocking: 65% of these companies have maintained their VPP status.
A look back at Top 10 OSHA trends to watch in 2014
Many items on our “watch list” for OSHA in 2014 had some significant developments this year:
Active shooter in the building! How will workers respond?
Do employees at your workplace know what to do if someone started shooting inside your building?
AFL-CIO report: 150 U.S. workers die every day
A new AFL-CIO report dug through worker fatality data and found some trends in U.S. workplace safety. The organization estimates that 150 workers die every day from hazardous working conditions.
Alberta to fine workers for safety violations: Should U.S. do that?
Is this a good idea? A Canadian province is about to enact a new workplace safety law that would allow inspectors to issue fines to workers for violations. Penalties could be substantial for repeat offenders.
Almost $1 million in OSHA fines for deadly confined space blast
OSHA has issued $963,000 in fines to a cleaning services company in connection with the deaths of two of its employees inside a railcar in April.
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