This has been a very different year for the occupational safety and health profession because of COVID-19. Among the changes: The pandemic has affected the top violations OSHA issues to employers. One thing is back to normal this year: OSHA released its preliminary numbers at the National Safety Council’s Congress and Expo. OSHA Director of […]
California is cracking down on workplace safety and health violations with two brand new violation categories that bring it in line more with federal standards and expand upon them. Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 606 into law Sept. 28, creating two new categories of Cal/OSHA violation: “egregious” and “enterprise-wide.” Both categories carry big fines […]
An Ohio aluminum parts manufacturer with a history of safety violations is facing a $1.7 million OSHA fine after a fatal incident at its Ravenna plant. The fine follows an investigation into the death of a 43-year-old worker who was struck and killed March 30 by a machine’s barrier door. As he was attempting to […]
Did OSHA pay you a visit? Are you expecting some citations? Here’s an example of why it’s very important to watch the U.S. mail for your Notice of Violations (NOV) from OSHA. Federal OSHA gives employers 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to abate the violations, request an informal conference or […]
What is the multi-employer worksite doctrine? It depends on who you ask. OSHA’s enforcement guidelines and policies under its compliance directive call it a worksite where more than one employer may be responsible for the same hazardous condition. Essentially, a single OSHA violation can be attributable to the general contractor, the roofer, the plumber, the […]
An employee died of asphyxiation as a result of the displacement of oxygen inside a tank the worker was cleaning. Oregon OSHA says on Feb. 1, 2021, a worker was discovered unresponsive in an empty 30,000-gallon wine tank at Corus Estates & Vineyards LLC in Dundee, OR. The employee was assigned to pump out about […]
A Georgia recycling company previously cited for safety violations following the 2019 workplace death of a welder employed by a contractor in the facility was cited again during a follow-up inspection. The company is accused of failing to ensure workers were properly trained before operating telescoping forklifts and failed to examine the forklifts before placing them […]
The owners of a Nebraska railcar cleaning company pleaded guilty to hiding information from OSHA during the agency’s investigation into a fatal explosion and for violating worker safety standards and environmental regulations. Steven Braithwaite, president and owner of Nebraska Railcar Cleaning Services LLC (NRCS), and Adam Braithwaite, the company’s vice president and co-owner, also pleaded […]
Thanks to the Occupational Safety and Health Act, the federal government has been keeping a watchful eye on workplace safety conditions in the name of preventing worker injuries, fatalities and illnesses. The agency responsible for setting and enforcing employee health and safety standards is the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Citations and fines […]
