TechneTrain, Inc.

OSHA Guidance and Emphasis Programs for the Death Care Industry

February 2012
OSHA reminds employers to post injury/illness summaries beginning Feb. 1
.
Employers must post OSHA's Form 300A from Feb. 1 to April 30 in a common area wherever notices to workers are usually posted.  The summary must list the total numbers of job-related injuries and illnesses that occurred in 2011. Copies of the OSHA Forms are available for download from OSHA's Recordkeeping webpage...

January 31 2012
New short videos from OSHA provide training to help inform workers on the proper use of respirators.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has posted a series of 17 videos to help workers learn about the proper use of respirators on the job. These short videos, nine in English and eight in Spanish, provide valuable information to workers in general industry and construction. Topics include OSHA's Respiratory Standard, respirator use, training, fit-testing and detecting counterfeit respirators...

January 2012
OSHA publishes Illness and Injury Prevention Programs White Paper

January 2012
OSHA posts Summary Report of Stakeholder Meeting on Preventing Occupational Hearing Loss

January 2012
OSHA Web page offers information to protect workers during winter storm response and recovery operations

December 21 2011
OSHA aims to protect workers during winter storms.

November 9 2011
Statement from Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA on increase of nonfatal occupational injuries among health care workers.

October 20 2011
Statement from Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis on reported decline in workplace injuries and illnesses.

October 17 2011
New small businesses document explains OSHA's respiratory protection standard. 

October 6 2011
OSHA invites interested parties to participate in an informal stakeholder meeting on preventing occupational hearing loss.

October 6 2011
OSHA to host conversation with stakeholders on occupational hearing loss.

October 3 2011
OSHA publishes new educational materials on working safely during trenching operations. 

September 15 2011
OSHA launches new  Workplace Violence Web Page. 

September 9 2011
OSHA issues 2011 annual inspection plan for protecting workers in high-hazard workplaces. 

September 8 2011
OSHA issues compliance directive to address workplace violence.
 

August 23 2011
US Department of Labor improves enforcement database.

August 2011
New comprehensive OSHA Web page on preventing work-related hearing loss contains a wealth of information to help businesses and workers.

August 2011
NIOSH STOP STICKS campaign aims to reduce exposures to bloodborne pathogens.

August 11 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA releases mobile app to help protect workers from heat-related illnesses.
 
As part of continuing educational efforts by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration about the dangers of extreme heat, Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today announced a free application for mobile devices that will enable workers and supervisors to monitor the heat index at their work sites in order to prevent heat-related illnesses. The app, available in English and Spanish, combines heat index data from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration with the user’s location to determine necessary protective measures...

July 20 2011
Statement by Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis on continued heat waves sweeping the country.

July 15 2011
Water, rest and shade: Protecting workers from heat-related illness.

July 5 2011
OSHA schedules stakeholder meetings to discuss occupational exposure to infectious diseases.

June 28 2011
OSHA launches interactive Web site to help employers better comply with its recordkeeping rule.

June 22 2011
OSHA seeks comments on proposed updates, revisions to the occupational injury and illness tracking and reporting requirements.

June 16 2011
OSHA releases bookmark explaining young workers' rights.

June 16 2011
Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis and ambassadors of Guatemala and Nicaragua sign declarations protecting migrant workers' rights.

June 16 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA conducting inspections focused on powered industrial truck hazards in Alabama, Mississippi, Florida and Georgia.

May 26 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA announces final rule affecting respiratory protection, slings, exposure and medical records, and other standards.

May 23 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA launches national survey on employers' safety and health practices to help guide future rules, compliance, outreach

May 16 2011
US Labor Department's OSHA reopens public record on proposed record-keeping rule to add work-related musculoskeletal disorders
  OSHA estimates that 1.505 million recordable MSDs are expected to occur annually among 1.542 million affected establishments and that the annualized costs of the proposed rule would be $1.7 million per year for all affected establishments combined. The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration tomorrow will reopen the public record on a proposed rule to revise the Occupational Injury and Illness Recording and Reporting Requirements regulation on May 17. "OSHA is eager to hear from the public on this, and every, proposed rule," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Dr. David Michaels." The more feedback the agency receives from small businesses on this topic, the better informed we will be in crafting a proposed regulation that protects workers without overburdening employers..."

May 2011
New Injury and Illness Prevention Programs Web page now online
  OSHA has a new Injury and Illness Prevention Programs Web page to provide easy to use, informative and useful guidance on how to implement an effective system for finding and fixing workplace safety and health hazards. Injury and illness prevention programs, known by a variety of names, are universal interventions that can substantially reduce the number and severity of workplace injuries and alleviate the associated financial burdens on U.S. workplaces. Many states have requirements or voluntary guidelines for workplace injury and illness prevention programs. Also, numerous employers in the United States already manage safety using injury and illness prevention programs and OSHA believes that all employers can and should do the same. As OSHA Assistant Secretary David Michaels put it, "Injury and illness prevention programs are good for workers, good for business and good for America."

April 2011
Employers: Be sure to post injury and illness summaries now until April 30, 2011
                       (Form 300A PDF 382kb)

April 26 2011
US Labor Department launches national outreach campaign to protect workers from heat-related illnesses.

March 25 2011
New guidance documents explain importance of testing in reducing, preventing worker exposure to respiratory hazards.

March 23 2011
US Labor Department's OSHA to hold teleconferences for small businesses to provide input on proposed column for employer injury and illness logs.
  Small businesses from around the country are encouraged to participate in a series of three teleconferences to provide input on OSHA's proposal to add a column for work-related musculoskeletal disorders on employer injury and illness logs.

March 1 2011
North Carolina issues forklift hazard alert to prevent workplace injuries and deaths.
North Carolina's Occupational Safety and Health Division published a hazard alert* on the dangers of forklifts and materials handling.

February 15 2011
Statement from assistant secretary of labor for OSHA supporting promotion of job creation
Agency doing everything possible to support good, safe jobs
 

February 15 2011
OSHA issues enforcement guidance on personal protective equipment to protect general industry workers' safety, health.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration today issued the Enforcement Guidance for Personal Protective Equipment in General Industry*, a directive that provides enforcement personnel with instructions for determining whether employers have complied with OSHA personal protective equipment (PPE) standards. The directive was effective Feb. 10. Changes in this directive include clarifying what type of PPE employers must provide at no cost to workers and when employers are required and not required to pay for PPE.

February 11 2011
OSHA respiratory protection video discusses proper respirator use for healthcare workers.

January 25 2011
US Labor Department's OSHA temporarily withdraws proposed column for work-related musculoskeletal disorders, reaches out to small businesses.
"Work-related musculoskeletal disorders remain the leading cause of workplace injury and illness in this country, and this proposal is an effort to assist employers and OSHA in better identifying problems in workplaces," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Dr. David Michaels. "However, it is clear that the proposal has raised concern among small businesses, so OSHA is facilitating an active dialogue between the agency and the small business community."

January 19 2011
40th Anniversary Speakers Series: Granting Basic Rights to American Workers.

January 19 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA withdraws proposed interpretation on occupational noise
Agency examines other approaches to prevent work-related hearing loss.

December 29  2010
US Labor Department's OSHA reminds employers of hazards associated with snow cleanup, urges proper worker safeguards.
In light of the recent blizzard and in anticipation of more winter storms, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration wants to remind workers, employers and the general public of the hazards associated with snow removal and recovery work.  "Cleaning up after a storm encompasses a variety of tasks, each of which can carry risks if performed incorrectly or without proper safeguards," said Robert Kulick, OSHA's regional administrator in New York. "We want people to know what those risks are and what steps they can take to protect themselves against these hazards."  Common hazards can include:..

December 6  2010
OSHA extends comment period to March 21, 2011, announces stakeholder meeting on noise control interpretation.
"We're very eager to get input from those parties who would be affected by this proposed interpretation," said Dr. David Michaels, assistant secretary of labor for occupational safety and health. "We have by no means completed our review of the issue and seek to make an informed decision that is in the best interest of protecting workers, yet sensitive to the operating changes businesses would need to make. There is sufficient evidence that hearing protection alone cannot prevent workers from suffering preventable hearing loss." 

November 30 2010
Michaels informs national conference of public health professionals about OSHA's efforts to update chemical exposure limits.
OSHA Assistant Secretary David Michaels participated in a panel discussion Nov. 8 in Denver at the American Public Health Association's annual meeting.  He shared with the audience OSHA's efforts to address the agency's outdated workplace chemicals Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs)
. Most of OSHA's PELs were adopted when the agency was first created and have remained unchanged even though health data indicates many chemicals pose hazards to workers at levels below those permitted by many of OSHA's PELs. OSHA held a web forum in August to solicit nominations on the top chemicals of concern and received more than 130 nominations for OSHA to focus its initial efforts...

October 22  2010
OSHA targets high-hazard worksites for inspection.
Establishments are randomly selected for inspection from an initial list of 4,100 manufacturing, non-manufacturing, and nursing and personal care facilities...

October 21  2010
Statement of Labor Secretary Hilda L. Solis on reported decline in workplace injuries and illnesses.
"While the reported decline in workplace injuries and illnesses is encouraging, 3.3 million workplace injuries and illnesses are 3.3 million too many. No worker should fear being injured or made sick for a paycheck...

October 19 2010
OSHA's Official Interpretation of Provisions for Feasible Administrative or Engineering Controls of Occupational Noise.
 
  OSHA is proposing to amend its current enforcement policy to reflect the interpretation of the term "feasible administrative or engineering controls" as used in the current occupational noise exposure standards....

October 19  2010
OSHA seeks comments on its official interpretation of workplace noise exposure controls.
    Comments on the interpretation must be submitted on or before Dec. 20, 2010....

October 15 2010
Michaels shares vision for transforming OSHA to meet future challenges.
  OSHA Assistant Secretary sent a letter Oct. 15 outlining the progress being made in transforming the way the agency addresses workplace hazards...

October 15  2010
Tom Galassi, head of OSHA's Directorate of Enforcement programs, shares the top 10 most frequently cited standards.

October 15  2010
OSHA rolls out presidential initiative to improve federal worker safety.
  

October 15  2010
OSHA adjusts focus of accurate recordkeeping emphasis program.
  OSHA adjusted the targeting criteria for new inspections under its ongoing National Recordkeeping Emphasis Program.  The NEP is scheduled to run through February 2010...

October 15  2010
OSHA increases enforcement against serious safety and health violators.
 
The increase in significant and egregious cases demonstrates OSHA's commitment to aggressively enforcing its standards...

October 15  2010
Michaels shares goals for protecting workers at national safety conference.
  OSHA Assistant Secretary David Michaels shared the Obama Administration's vision for government agencies at the National Safety Council's 2010 Congress & Expos.  Michaels told the audience of about 10,000 safety and health professionals and industrial hygienists that OSHA and NIOSH believe the key to worker safety and health is focusing on prevention and shifting the burden of worker protection to employers...

October 15  2010
Michaels tells steelworkers OSHA is committed to creating and enforcing standards that will save lives.
  OSHA Assistant Secretary David Michaels told the audience at a United Steelworkers Health, Safety and Environment Conference in Pittsburgh that OSHA is returning to basics to protect the safety and health of workers on the job. He stressed the need to expand OSHA's enforcement powers and penalty amounts through legislative reform such as the Protecting America's Workers Act...

October 4  2010
U.S. Labor Department's reaches out to prevent distracted driving.
  Agency launches online resource for Drive Safely to Work Week.

September 212010
OSHA announces partnership with Department of Transportation to combat distracted driving.
  Employers who organize work so that texting is a practical necessity, even if not a formal requirement, violate the OSH Act.

August 2010
OSHA issues annual inspection plan under the Site-Specific Targeting 2010 program to help the agency direct enforcement resources.
  Establishments are randomly selected from a list of manufacturing, non-manufacturing, and nursing and personal care facilities.  

July 19 2010
Obama issues memorandum on Presidential POWER Initiative: Protecting Our Workers and Ensuring Reemployment

July 7 2010
Whistleblowers.gov offers quick access to whistleblower protection information

June 21 2010
OSHA to hold additional stakeholder meeting on worker injury and illness prevention rule

June 18 2010
OSHA's severe violator enforcement directive effective June 18

June 11 2010
New OSHA training emphasizes workers rights

Training Requirements in OSHA Standards and Training Guidelines  

May 24 2010
OSHA publishes proposed rulemaking to prevent injuries from slips, trips and falls on walking-working surfaces
  

May 14 2010
US Department of Labor's OSHA conducting review of its Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (29 CFR 1910.1030)
  

May 6 2010
US Department of Labor's OSHA requests information on exposure to infectious agents in healthcare settings
  

May 4 2010
US Department of Labor's OSHA holds series of stakeholder meeting on worker Injury and Illness Prevention Programs
  

April 29 2010
Statement of US Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis on Protecting America's Workers Act
  

April 27 2010
US assistant secretary of labor for OSHA to testify today on strengthening enforcement and ensuring safe workplaces for every American worker
  

April 22 2010
US Department of Labor's OSHA takes action to protect America's workers with severe violator program and increased penalties
  

April 14 2010
Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis convenes 1st every national action summit on health and safety of Latino workers
  

March 18 2010
US Department of Labor's OSHA announces informal public hearing on hazard communication in Pittsburgh on March 31
  

March 17 2010
US Assistance Secretary of labor for OSHA testifies on proposed Protecting America's Workers Act (PAWA) before House subcommittee.
  PAWA would raise penalties, strengthen workers' voices in the workplace, expand the rights of victims and their families, and provide other new rules that would grant greater power to OSHA.

March 9 2010
OSHA notifies 15,000 workplaces of high injury and illness rates
  

January 28 2010
OSHA proposes revised Recordkeeping regulation to better identify work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSD's)
  

January 27 2010
OSHA withdraws proposed rule for additional quantitative fit-testing protocols for the Respiratory Protection Standard
  

January 27 2010
OSHA releases workplace injury and illness information representing administration's "Open Government" policy
  

January 8 2010
New OSHA videos provide respirator and facemask safety guidance
  

January 7 2010
OSHA announces informal public hearing on hazard communication rule
  

November 23 2009
OSHA focuses local emphasis program on general industry establishments with noise, respiratory hazards.
  

October 1 2009
OSHA issues proposed rule to adopt the Globally Harmonized Hazard Communication System.
  A proposed rule to align the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) with provisions of the United Nations Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GCS) ...

September 30 2009
Notice of Injury and Illness Recordkeeping National Emphasis Program

September 15 2009
OSHA document describes silica control.
  A guidance document has been recently published by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration that addresses the control of worker exposure to dust containing crystalline silica, known to cause lung disease...

September 9 2009
OSHA issues final rule updating personal protective equipment standards.
  The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) today published in the Federal Register a final rule revising the personal protective equipment (PPE) sections of standards concerning requirements for eye- and face- protective devices, and head and foot protection ...

August 21 2009
Amending OSHA's penalty adjustment factors.
  Standard interpretation letter to National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA).

Recent OSHA Citations related to the Death Care Industry

January 26 2012
OSHA proposes $55,375 in penalties for trenching hazards to Memphis, Tenn., contractor.


January 26 2012
Administrative law judge orders Newport, Del.-based Daisy Construction to pay $59,000 for trenching violations.


January 26 2012
US Labor Department's OSHA cites Ashland, NH, contractor for cave-in hazards at Wolfeboro worksite; Hiltz Construction faces $51,260 in proposed fines.


January 25 2012
US Labor Department's OSHA proposes $169,000 in fines to Hartford, Conn., contractor for exposing workers to cave-in hazards.


January 19 2012
Georgia contractor cited by US Department of Labor's OSHA for knowingly exposing workers to cave-in hazard; nearly $54,000 proposed in fines.


January 18 2012
US Department of Labor's OSHA issues notices to veterans health care system of multiple safety and health violations found at St. Cloud, Minn., facility.


January 13 2012
US Department of Labor's OSHA cites American Marazzi Tile for exposing workers to excessive noise levels, lack of machine guarding and other hazards. Sunnyvale, Texas-based tile manufacturer faces proposed fines of $318,000.
 

January 10 2012
Louisiana pipeline construction company cited by US Department of Labor's OSHA for trenching violations in Georgia; proposed fines total $140,000.
OSHA began its inspection when an agency investigator noticed that the employer had failed to provide a safe means of egress from a 5-foot-10-inch trench and protect workers from a cave-in hazard. OSHA standards mandate that all excavations 5 feet or deeper be protected against collapse...

January 10 2012
US Labor Department's OSHA proposes more than $125,000 in fines to Palmyra, NJ, linen rental company for workplace safety and health hazards.
Violations involve failing to provide protection from electrical hazards; develop and implement written respiratory protection, hazard communication and confined space entry programs; provide machine guarding; provide guardrails; conduct a personal protective equipment hazard assessment; ensure the safe use of ladders and forklifts; provide lockout/tagout, respirator, hazard communication and fire extinguisher training; provide an eyewash station; provide mounted fire extinguishers; various electrical hazards; incomplete record keeping for the OSHA 300 injury and illness logs...

January 10 2012
US Labor Department's OSHA cites Newton, NJ, manufacturer for workplace safety and health violations, proposes nearly $49,000 in fines.
Violations involve obstructed exit routes; lack of proper machine guarding; failing to implement a hearing conservation program that includes noise monitoring, audiometric testing and training; properly mount and identify portable fire extinguishers; provide powered industrial truck training; implement a hazard communication program that includes training; ensure proper use and listing of electrical equipment; ensure compressed air was reduced to 30 pounds per square inch; failing to record workplace injuries and illnesses on the OSHA 300 log...

January 10 2012
US Labor Department's OSHA cites New Windsor, NY, felt manufacturer for repeat and serious safety hazards; more than $146,000 proposed in penalties.
Inspections identified numerous safety and health hazards, including exposing employees to possible electrocution, crushing and struck-by injuries, being caught in moving machine parts, hearing loss, falls, eye and hand injuries...

January 4 2012
US Labor Department's OSHA cites Conway Stores Inc. for locked emergency exits and other hazards at its East Fordham Rd. store in the Bronx. Proposed fines total $90,000.
OSHA's inspection revealed several instances where emergency exit doors in the store were padlocked during work hours and emergency exit routes were obstructed by racks of clothing and boxes of stock, conditions that would have prevented or impeded employees' swift exit of the workplace in the event of a fire or other emergency. In addition, a cardboard baler was operated with its door open exposing employees to crushing hazards; an unsecured compressed gas cylinder was exposed to damage; and the store lacked a continuing and effective extermination program for rats and vermin...

December 28 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA cites The Davey Tree Surgery Co. for safety violations after worker fatality at Idaho City, Idaho, job site.
The company is part of Kent, Ohio-based The Davey Tree Expert Co. Citations have been issued for failing to have adequate first-aid supplies, ensure that workers maintain a safe distance from trees being felled, evaluate the work area prior to the tree being felled, provide training for tool and equipment use, and provide training for determining tree length...

December 21 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA proposes $144,760 in penalties to Houston, Texas, recycling plant for exposing workers to multiple safety and health hazards.
Petag was cited for failing to provide personal protective equipment; provide hazard communication training; ensure the use of seatbelts while operating a forklift; provide sanitary washing facilities as well as access to eyewash and shower stations; provide fall protection; provide required information for voluntary respirator use; injury and illness record-keeping deficiencies...

December 21 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA cites rubber parts fabricator Acme Machell Co. in Waukesha, Wis., for safety and health violations; proposed penalties total $77,600.
OSHA opened inspections after receiving complaints alleging burn hazards and poor housekeeping throughout the plant. Violations include failing to implement a hazard communication plan, train first-aid responders on an exposure control plan to protect against exposure to bloodborne pathogens and diseases, offer hepatitis B vaccines to designated first-aid responders, review or update the exposure control plan, maintain a list of chemicals being used in the facility along with relevant material data safety sheets; failing to properly maintain fire extinguishers; failing to maintain adequate air pressure in air nozzles used for cleaning; electrical deficiencies, failing to evaluate and audit energy control procedures annually; failing to adequately train workers on hazardous energy control procedures...

December 21 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA cites excavation and utilities company following fatality in Gordon, Texas; proposed penalties total $118,580.
Violations include failing to test for atmospheric conditions and provide adequate ventilation and emergency retrieval equipment prior to entry into a manhole; failing to provide or require the use of respirators as well as conduct an assessment to determine the potential for a hazardous atmosphere where oxygen deficiency, methane and/or hydrogen sulfide were present or likely to be present...

December 7 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA cites Central Transport International in Hillside, Ill., for unsafe forklifts and other safety violations; proposed penalties total 164,800.
Violations involve allowing workers to operate unsafe forklifts and failing to provide proper eyewash facilities for workers exposed to corrosive chemicals, among others...

December 5 2011
Miami, Fla., contractor cited by US Department of Labor's OSHA for willful and serious violations following carbon monoxide incident.
Trans Florida Development Corp. faces proposed penalties of $66,990 following an incident that occurred in June at a work site. A worker using a powered saw to cut a hole in a storm drain box was overexposed to carbon monoxide from the saw and had to be taken to a hospital for treatment. Citations were issued for failing to evaluate the job site and implement procedures to ensure workers were not exposed to toxic substances while working in a confined space...

December 1 2011
Waymar Construction Co. in Shelby, Ohio faces $30,500 for child labor and safety violations after 16-year-old injured on job site.
The U.S. Department of Labor has cited Waymar Construction LLC in Shelby for child labor and safety violations after a 16-year-old worker suffered cranial trauma and fractures from falling off a scissor lift. The division found that Waymar Construction violated the FLSA's child labor standards by employing a worker less than 18 years old to perform hazardous jobs prohibited by the act. Waymar Construction also was found to be in violation of the overtime provisions of the FLSA, for paying workers "straight time" wages for hours worked over 40 in a week...

November 21 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA fines Paterson, NJ, company $126,000 for failing to guard machines and exposing workers to fall and electrical hazards.
Violations include failing to keep work areas and passageways free of litter; provide guardrail protection, guard machines and electrical boxes; provide an eyewash station; provide personal protective equipment for workers handling chemicals; provide industrial truck and hazard communication training; ensure exit routes were unobstructed and visibly marked; make sure exit doors could open properly; cover electrical panel boards supplying power for equipment and lighting; properly use flexible cords; implement a lockout/tagout program for energy sources to prevent machines from accidentally starting up during servicing and maintenance; perform workplace hazards assessment; develop a written hazard communication program and record-keeping violations...

November 21 2011
Odom Industries in Milford, Ohio, faces $90,760 in OSHA fines for altering injury and illness logs and other violations.
OSHA initiated an inspection of the fabrication plant after receiving a complaint alleging that injured workers, who were unable to perform their normal jobs, were moved to other jobs to avoid recordable injuries on the OSHA 300 logs. Additionally, violations were cited for failing to inspect and train employees in the use of personal protective gear, misuse of metal ladders, failure to conduct annual audiograms for employees exposed to noise hazards; failing to establish a respiratory program including fit-testing...

November 9 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA cites Vinton Construction Co. for failing to provide trench workers with cave-in protection; proposed penalties total $95,040.
An inspection conducted under OSHA's Trenching and Excavation National Emphasis Program found that workers were not adequately protected when working in a trench approximately 6 feet below grade. OSHA standards mandate that all excavations 5 feet or deeper be protected against collapse... 

November 3 2011
US Labor Department's OSHA proposes more than $62,000 in fines to commercial laundry for inadequate hazard energy control and other hazards; proposed penalties total $62,400.
Uwanta Linen Supply, a commercial laundry that employs about 16 workers, faces citations that include failing to evaluate the facility to determine if any areas were permit-required confined spaces; properly guard floor holes; develop written energy control procedures for machines with multiple energy sources; mount portable fire extinguishers, perform annual maintenance checks on them and train employees on their use; examine forklifts before placing them in service; conduct an exposure determination for workers with exposure to bloodborne pathogens; provide fall protection for employees working on an elevated platform using forklifts; provide personal protective equipment; provide a suitable facility for quick drenching or flushing of the eyes and/or body for workers exposed to injurious corrosive materials; provide a hand-washing facility readily accessible to employees; provide appropriate safety and machine guarding; provide hepatitis B vaccines to employees potentially exposed to bloodborne pathogens; ensure that all work areas were clean and in an orderly and sanitary condition; ensure that an emergency exit door was unlocked and unimpeded; ensure that electrical equipment was free from recognized hazards; keep the area around a circuit breaker panel free from materials; attach grounded conductors to terminals or leads so as to reverse polarity; effectively close knockouts; properly illuminate work areas for employees; properly illuminate each exit sign; establish a written exposure control plan to eliminate or minimize employee exposure to bloodborne pathogens; and institute an effective hearing conservation program; failing to properly record work-related injuries and illnesses on OSHA's 300A log; failing to train employees on the hazardous chemicals in their work areas... 

November 2 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA cites Neman Painting & Sandblasting in Waukesha, Wis., respirator hazards and other safety violations. Proposed penalties total $50,140.


November 2 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA cites Illinois pet food production and packaging company for exposing employees to dust and noise hazards; fines exceed $750,000.


November 1 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA cites Gardner Equipment Co. in Columbus and Juneau, Wis., for PPE and other safety and health violations. Proposed fines total $125,900.
Violations include failing to ensure that workers at the Columbus facility wore protective clothing while using powdered paint containing skin irritants and sensitizers, failing to train workers on the use of personal protective equipment and failure to establish an adequate hazard communication program and do the required employee training... 

October 28 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA cites Dallas facility of California-based Bridgford Foods for exposing workers to noise, energized machine hazards Employer faces $422,600 in proposed fines. 
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Anaheim, Calif.-based Bridgford Foods Corp. for 27 safety and health violations at its food manufacturing facility in Dallas, with proposed penalties totaling $422,600. The violations include, among others, failing to establish and maintain a hearing conservation program for workers exposed to noise hazards beyond the permissible exposure limit, and failing to establish a lockout/tagout program for energy sources to protect workers from machines starting up unexpectedly... 

October 26 2011
Cave-in hazard at Hanover, Mass., job site leads to $161,000 in proposed fines for Boston contractor Walsh Corp. from US Labor Department OSHA Employee worked in unprotected trench below crumbling asphalt, lacked exit ladder. 
An OSHA inspector observed an employee working in an unprotected straight-walled trench more than 5 feet deep that lacked protection to keep its walls from caving in. The pavement around the trench was undermined and not removed or supported to prevent it from falling into the trench; the trench lacked a ladder or other safe means of exit; the worker lacked head protection against falling debris; and the competent person on-site, who had the knowledge to identify and the authority to correct these hazards, did not remove the employee from the unprotected trench. OSHA standards require that trenches or excavations 5 feet or deeper be protected against collapse through shoring, sloping of the soil or use of a protective trench box. Detailed information on trenching and excavation hazards and safe working procedures is available at http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/trenchingexcavation/index.html... 

October 26 2011
US Labor Department secures decision affirming OSHA citations and fines against Danbury, Conn., contractor for cave-in hazards. Sand Cut Properties LLC ordered to pay more than $137,000 in penalties. 
OSHA cited Sand Cut Properties after inspectors at a Brookfield, Conn., work site found an employee working in a collapsing 6- to 9-foot-deep excavation that lacked cave-in protection and had piles of excavated materials overhanging its edge as well as water seeping into its bottom. The employee was exposed to an additional crushing hazard when he exited the excavation by riding in the bucket of an excavator... 

October 26 2011
North Georgia sewing contractor cited by US Department of Labor's OSHA for serious safety violations; nearly $47,000 proposed in penalties. 
Dacorp Inc. has been cited by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration for safety violations at its sewing plant in Morganton after an inspection identified a number of deficiencies, including obstructed exit routes and electrical hazards. Additional violations included an insufficient number of exit routes, a number of potential fire hazards; not training employees in the proper use of powered industrial trucks; an exhaust fan that lacked safeguards; not providing employees with effective information and training on hazardous chemicals in their work areas; and the lack of material safety data sheets for all chemicals found at the plant; no assessment to determine the need for personal protective equipment; and not supplying workers with eye protection... 

October 10 2011
US Labor Department's OSHA proposes $96,000 in fines for continued workplace safety and health violations at 3 Lowe's stores in Pennsylvania. 
The Carlisle store was cited for permitting employees to use hazardous liquid chemicals without the use of personal protective equipment, improperly modifying powered industrial trucks, using flexible cords and cables as a substitute for fixed wiring, and failing to properly label hazardous chemical containers. The Hanover store was cited for violations involving several electrical hazards, including failing to properly use listed or labeled electrical equipment, using a flexible cord as a substitute for fixed wiring and running a flexible cord through a hole in the wall. The store also was cited for having an obstructed fire alarm pull station, which previously was cited at other stores. The Palmyra store was cited for failing to provide personal protective equipment to employees exposed to hazardous liquid chemicals... 

October 5 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA cites Alabama tree trimming company for safety and health violations following fatality. 
Violation were cited for failing to ensure that employees were wearing fall protection in an aerial lift; allowing employees to be within the fall zone of a tree being cut down; not ensuring that a retreat path was cleared and designated prior to the felling of the tree; failing to train employees in first aid and CPR, provide adequate first-aid supplies and offer the hepatitis vaccine to employees exposed to potential bloodborne pathogens...

October 4 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA cites G.A. Rich & Sons in Lexington, Ill., for failing to protect trench workers; proposed penalties exceed $59,000. 
Violation cited include failing to protect workers working in a trench approximately 7 feet below grade and failing to keep excavated materials or equipment at least 2 feet from the edge of excavations...

September 28 2011
US Labor Department's OSHA cites Alabama-based Brendle Sprinkler Co. for exposing workers to cave-in, other hazards More than $68,000 proposed in fines. 
OSHA inspectors have cited Brendle Sprinkler Co. Inc. for failing to provide a cave-in protection system while employees were working in a trench greater than 5 feet deep. The company also has been cited for failing to ensure that employees were wearing hard hats when overhead hazards existed as well as to provide employees with a safe means to enter and exit the excavation... 

September 21 2011
US Department of Labor sues Beverly, Mass., dentist for allegedly firing employee who raised concerns about contaminated needle disposal. 

September 13 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA cites 3 contractors at US Marine Corps Logistic Base in Albany, Ga., for crane and trenching violations. Proposed fines total nearly $190,000 following electrical shock injury to worker. 
OSHA cited multiple safety violations after the boom tip of a crane contacted an overhead power line with a carrying capacity of more than 12,000 volts. Electricity traveled down the crane through a line that was connected to the load being moved by the crane and shocked the employee on the ground, who was holding the line. Piedmont Mechanical was cited for  failing to determine whether any part of the crane could get closer than 20 feet to the overhead energized power line, exposing workers to an electrical shock hazard. Additional violations were cited involving trenching and excavation at the site including exposing employees to a cave-in hazard by allowing them to work in a deep trench where the top of the trench shields were 2–4 feet below the top of the trench and allowing workers inside a trench where several sections of the trench shields were not connected with spreader bars and not flush against the walls of the trench...

September 13 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA fines Roselle, NJ, contractor more than $158,000 for trenching and other hazards. 
Violations involve failing to ensure that the excavation spoil pile was at least 2 feet from the edge of the excavation; ensure that the ladder extended 3 feet above the level being accessed; and provide cave-in protection for employees working in the excavation. Additional  violations were cited for failing to ensure that daily inspections were conducted by a competent person, failing to train workers in the recognition and avoidance of unsafe trenching conditions, implement respiratory protection and hazard communication programs, provide training and conduct medical evaluations for workers required to use respirators, provide training for employees who use hazardous chemicals and provide material safety data sheets at the site for hazardous chemicals...

September 1 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA cites Florida tree care company for safety violations following worker injury in Gainesville; penalties exceed $153,000. 
OSHA began an inspection after a worker suffered a serious cut to his thigh by a chain saw at a Gainesville job site in March. Violations involve not providing protective leg coverings and eye or face shields to employees who operated chain saws, and not providing hard hats to employees working on the ground under trees. Additional violations included: failing to have a person adequately trained to provide first aid, make adequate first-aid supplies readily available in the workplace, and have a written plan designed to eliminate or minimize employee exposure to bloodborne pathogens. The company had not developed an emergency response or rescue plan for employees injured in trees, aerial lifts or other situations. Another citation was issued for failing to develop a hazard communication program that included material safety data sheets as well as training for employees using flammable liquids and petroleum lubricants...

August 10 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA intervenes to remove workers from hazardous trench in Auburn, Ala.; cites Arizona company for endangering workers. 
As OSHA inspectors were traveling to an inspection near Auburn they passed an open excavation where workers were not being protected from cave-ins. The OSHA officials stopped and opened an inspection at the NPL Construction site, and requested that the workers be removed from the trench. One of the walls of the excavation later collapsed. The company faces fines of $73,000 for failing to provide a protective system for employees working in an excavation more than 5 feet deep and for failing to ensure equipment is kept 2 feet from the edge of the excavation...

August 8 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA cites Dick's Sporting Goods for safety hazards at Queensbury, NY, location Pennsylvania-based retailer faces $57,300 in fines, urged to examine safety at other stores. 
OSHA inspectors found that workers at the Queensbury store were periodically required to enter a trash compactor that had not first been de-energized in order to remove cardboard blockages. Additionally, the store lacked the means and procedures for employees to enter and work safely in such a confined space, and training was not provided on the hazards and safeguards associated with work in a confined space. Additionally, access to fire extinguishers was blocked and employees were not trained in how to use fire extinguishers in the event of a fire. "Even in a retail outlet, employees can be exposed to deadly or disabling hazards if the proper safeguards and training are absent, as they were here..." 

August 8 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA cites cites Illinois-based Martin & Company Excavating for failing to provide trench workers with cave-in protection. 
The company faces proposed penalties of $69,300 following a May inspection, which was conducted under the agency's Trenching and Excavation National Emphasis Program. The violation was cited for failing to protect workers who were installing a water line in a trench approximately 8 feet below grade. Additional violations include failing to have a competent employee on site to ensure workers were removed from the trench when there was evidence of an unsafe situation which could result in a possible cave-in; failing to equip an adjacent section of pavement that was hanging over the trench with a support system to protect employees from possible collapse; and failing to keep excavated materials or equipment at least 2 feet from the edge of excavations. OSHA standards mandate that all excavations 5 feet or deeper be protected against collapse...

August 4 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA cites contractor for willful and serious violations following trench collapse and fatality in Cumming, Ga.; penalties total $116,200. 
OSHA began its inspection after being notified that emergency personnel were responding to a possible trench cave-in. Arriving on the scene, OSHA found that the company had been installing a sewer line in a trench approximately 9 feet deep at the deepest section. The trench walls were vertical with no means of cave-in protection provided. Dirt placed at the edge of the trench had fallen into the trench, trapping 20-year-old Aaron Banks who was freed by emergency crews but who later died from his injuries. Violations related to the incident involve placing soil within 2 feet of the edge of the excavation and not providing cave-in protection to workers in the excavation. An additional violation was cited for failing to provide a ladder or other safe means of egress for employees working in a trench at least 4 feet deep...

August 3 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA cites Clifton, NJ, manufacturer for lack of forklift training, noise exposure and other hazards. 
OSHA has cited Safas Corp., which employs about 25 workers, after OSHA initiated an investigation based on a referral from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, which alleged strong solvent odors. Proposed penalties total $135,000. Violations involve the company's failure to provide workers with forklift training and a hearing conservation program. Additional violations include failure to provide personal protective equipment; an eye wash facility; fire extinguisher training; proper housekeeping; a lockout/tagout program to prevent the inadvertent start-up of machinery; a hazard assessment; and a hazard communication program...

August 3 2011
Allentown, Pa., company faces $110,880 in fines for exposing workers to noise and other hazards. 
OSHA initiated an inspection under a local emphasis program focused on follow-up inspections and noise hazards. Violations reflect the company's failure to maintain required records, conduct a baseline audiogram for an employee overexposed to noise hazards, conduct annual hearing conservation training for employees overexposed to noise hazards, conduct adequate forklift operations and ensure equipment had proper machine guards in place to protect employees, failure to develop and utilize documented energy control procedures; provide training to employees utilizing energy control procedures; provide a proper eye wash for employees, provide machine guards on equipment; maintain copies of material safety data sheets for all chemicals; maintain clear and unobstructed exit routes; maintain exit doors and illuminated exit signs in proper working order; educate employees in fire extinguisher use; maintain forklifts in safe operating condition; and implement controls to reduce employee exposure to occupational noise...

August 2 2011
US Labor Department's OSHA cites Birmingham, Ala., manufacturer for flexible cord and other violations; proposes more than $56,000 in penalties. 
Homeland Vinyl Products faces proposed penalties of  $56,400 involving using flexible cords that had been spliced, not properly labeling and not attaching warning labels to chemical containers...

August 1 2011
US Labor Department's OSHA cites Fairfield, NJ, manufacturer for exposing workers to chemicals, other hazards; proposed penalties total $59,290. 
Some of the serious violations include failing to provide proper guards on machines and equipment; properly use and install equipment; properly dispose of combustible rags; properly store propane containers; implement a lockout/tagout program to prevent machinery from unexpectedly starting up while workers perform servicing and maintenance; provide fire extinguisher training and ensure fire extinguishers were properly mounted and identified; conduct preventative maintenance on cranes; develop and implement a chemical hazard communication program; provide appropriate protective gloves; provide emergency eye wash facilities; maintain copies of material safety data sheets for hazardous materials in the workplace and make them accessible to employees for each work shift; provide truck operators with training and evaluation prior to operation of the vehicle; and provide information to employees voluntarily using respirators...

July 27 2011
US Labor Department's OSHA cites 2 companies in Hamilton, Ala., for failing to label hazardous chemical containers and other hazards; proposes more than $112,000 in fines. 
Additional violations included not requiring employees working with corrosive chemicals to wear eye, face, hand or body protection; failing to have an eyewash station or other means available for drenching; not protecting a battery charger from being damaged by trucks; failing to secure and balance crane loads; missing machine guarding; an electrical disconnect switch that was not readily accessible; inadequate hearing protection program; failing to provide an evaluation of confined space rescue and emergency services...

July 27 2011
US Labor Department's OSHA cites Pearce Foundry in Prairieville, La., for exposing workers to respirable silica, hexavalent chromium, excessive noise and other hazards. 
Pearce Foundry Inc. faces proposed penalties totaling $158,200...

July 22 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA cites Jordan, NY, contractor for cave-in hazard at SUNY Brockport work site, proposes $147,000 in fines. Blue Heron Construction qualifies for inclusion in Severe Violator Enforcement Program. 
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Blue Heron Construction after OSHA found Blue Heron employees working in an unprotected excavation greater than 5 feet in depth. Additionally, the excavation lacked a ladder or other safe means of access, and piles of excavated material were situated less than 2 feet from the excavation's edge. This significant enforcement action qualifies Blue Heron Construction for placement in OSHA's Severe Violator Enforcement Program, which mandates targeted follow-up inspections to ensure compliance with the law. OSHA standards require that all excavations 5 feet or deeper be protected against collapse...

July 20 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA cites Winter Garden, Fla., utility for trenching violation, proposes $70,000 penalty. 
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Prince Contracting LLC for allegedly endangering workers while digging a storm water trench adjacent to U.S. Highway 27 in Clermont. OSHA inspected the site as part of the agency's National Emphasis Program on Trenching and Excavation...

July 19 2011
US Labor Department's OSHA fines Don Wartko Construction more than $171,000, cites company for lack of trench protection at 3 Cleveland sites. 
Inspections conducted under OSHA's National Emphasis Program on Trenching and Excavation resulted in proposed penalties totaling $171,600.  Don Wartko Construction was cited for failing to provide cave-in protection for workers in a trench more than 5 feet below grade and to provide a safe means of egress...

July 11 2011
Georgia manufacturer agrees to pay employee more than $176,000 to settle whistleblower case brought by US Department of Laborn. 
The case allegedly began when Blue Bird required the employee to use a bucket lift truck to install Christmas wreaths for the company. The employee requested training in the operation of the equipment, resulting in a disagreement with management over whether the employee was trained. That disagreement led to the employee's termination. An OSHA whistleblower investigation found that the employee was illegally terminated for refusing to work under unsafe conditions...

July 5 2011
Mississippi's Howard Industries cited by US Department of Labor's OSHA for safety violations following fatal worker electrocution. 
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Howard Industries Inc. in Ellisville following the January death of a worker. Violations related to the fatality include not requiring employees to use work safety practices when dealing with live electrical circuits, and failing to use locks and tags when de-energizing test equipment. Additional violations include failing to develop specific lockout/tagout procedures, failing to conduct a personal protective equipment hazard assessment...

June 28 2011
US Labor Department's OSHA cites Somerville, Mass., commercial laundry for safety hazards following worker injury.
 Royal Institutional Services Inc., faces a total of $49,935 in proposed fines after la mechanic sustained a crushing hand injury while lubricating the chain of an ironer machine that was running. OSHA's inspection found that the machine had not first been de-energized and had its power source locked out before maintenance was performed, as required by the agency's hazardous energy control or "lockout/tagout" standard. In addition, employees authorized to perform maintenance were not effectively trained to safely perform such activities, and were not evaluated to ensure that they used and understood adequate energy control procedures. OSHA cited Royal Institutional Services for for the lack of energy control procedures; lack of effective training and evaluation; and lack of documented lockout procedures for a machine...

June 28 2011
US Labor Department's OSHA cites Interfaith Medical Center in Brooklyn, NY, for asbestos, chemical and other hazards; $48,000 in fines proposed.
 The hospital faces a total $48,000 in proposed fines after OSHA's inspection found that the hospital failed to provide adequate asbestos training for environmental staff and employees in the engineering department who perform demolition and renovation. Nor did it inform outside contractors of the presence of potentially asbestos-containing material in and around their work area. It also failed to properly label asbestos-containing insulation and floor tile, and allowed disposal of asbestos-containing material in the hospital dumpster. Additionally, the hospital failed to train trade employees on the hazards; provide them with material data safety sheets; and develop a written hazard communication program for cleaners, lubricants, acetylene, naptha and other hazardous chemicals. Furthermore, the inspection found improper storage of compressed gas cylinders and electric shock hazards from exposed and improperly spliced wiring. Four other violations were cited for incomplete OSHA 300 illness and injury logs...

June 24 2011
US Labor Department's OSHA cites Waco, Texas, facility with 29 serious workplace violations.
 OSHA initiated an inspection in response to a complaint alleging unsafe working conditions resulting in proposed penalties totaling $161,100. Violations cited include failing to develop and implement a respiratory program; provide an area for employees to wash their eyes; provide hazard communication training to employees working with hazardous and toxic chemicals; and provide covers on junction, outlet and transformer boxes....

June 22 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA cites El Paso, Texas, facility for exposing workers to safety and health hazards.
 Proposed penalties total $96,000 for violations that include failing to maintain a workplace in a clean and orderly manner; maintain an effective hearing conservation program; provide eye protection for employees; ensure forklift operators were certified; address electrical hazards; develop and document procedures for an energy control program and certify annual injury and illness logs...

June 21 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA cites MedPlast for workplace safety and health hazards at West Berlin, NJ, facility.
 Proposed penalties total $72,000 for violations including the company's failure to ensure exits were unblocked; provide eye protection approved by the American National Standards Institute; train employees on fire extinguishers; provide proper forklift training and ensure the training was certified; conduct inspections on powered industrial equipment; conduct noise monitoring; provide audiometric testing for employees overexposed to noise; and provide noise training. Additional violations relate to the company's deficiencies with OSHA Form 300, the Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses; failure to properly mark plastic spray containers containing liquids with their contents...

June 20 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA cites Houston-based Schumacher Co. for exposing workers to hazardous chemicals; fines total $166,500.
  In response to a referral, OSHA initiated a safety and health inspection and found multiple violations include failing to require employees to wear appropriate personal protective equipment, such as chemical aprons, sleeves/gauntlets and footwear; failing to fit-test employees for respirators...

June 20 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA proposes $59,400 in penalties to San Antonio company for hearing conservation and other hazards.

June 9 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA cites Cinnaminson, NJ, company for worker exposure to chemical, other hazards.
The company faces proposed penalties of $49,000 for employee exposure to chemical exposure above the OSHA permissible exposure limit; failure to provide appropriate respiratory protection; require employees to use appropriate hand protection when working with chemicals; provide body and face protection; provide training to employees regarding chemical hazards...

June 7 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA fines AK Steel Corp. $206,000 for record-keeping violations at Butler, Pa., facility. Company failed to record outcomes indicating hearing hazards for workers.
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited AK Steel Corp. for record-keeping violations related to potential hearing hazards at its Butler Works facility. OSHA initiated an inspection in response to a complaint alleging under-recording of injuries. The violations address the company's failure to record standard threshold shifts on the OSHA 300 Log when employees' hearing tests revealed that they experienced a work-related STS and the employees' total hearing level was 25 decibels or more above audiometric zero. Additional violations were cited for the company's failure to properly record other work-related injuries and illnesses...

May 26 2011
Administrative law judge upholds OSHA citation affirming that musculoskeletal disorder should be recorded on OSHA 300 Injury and Illness Log.

May 26 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA cites facility for improper use of step ladders, slip hazards, and an inadequate Emergency Response Plan.
Proposed penalties total $61,000...

May 23 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA cites Rite Aid Pharmacy for blocked emergency exits at Brooklyn, NY, store; proposes $60,500 fine.

May 19 2011
US Labor Department's OSHA cites Georgia trenching company for willful, repeat and serious safety violations; proposes $94,050 in fines.
  D&J's Trenching Services of Mansfield was cited for exposing workers to unsafe trenching practices. Citations were issued for allowing workers in an unprotected trench; for exposing workers to engulfment hazards while working in a trench without a safe means of exit; for exposing workers to fall hazards by allowing employees to access a portable ladder that did not extend at least 3 feet higher than the trench wall; and for not implementing a hazard communication program while employees were using chemicals such as diesel fuels and oils...

May 16 2011
US Labor Department's OSHA cites Capital Construction for exposing workers to fall, other hazards on Cleveland job site; fines total $102,000.
  OSHA inspectors observed employees working without fall protection at heights greater than 20 feet. Violations include failing to provide protective eyewear, head protection, fall training and instruction in the avoidance of unsafe working conditions, as well as failing to maintain safety programs...

May 16 2011
US Labor Department's OSHA cites South Easton, Mass., contractor for fall, other hazards at Lowell, Mass., job site
  Folan Waterproofing and Construction Co. Inc. faces a total of $48,510 in proposed fines after an OSHA inspector observed a Folan employee climbing out of an elevated aerial lift to access a roof. The inspection found that employees faced falls of up to 40 feet due to a lack of required fall protection and inadequate safeguards when working on aerial lifts, among other hazards. Also, the workers lacked adequate fall protection while working in and exiting the aerial lift; a defective wire rope used to lift construction materials had not been inspected and removed from service; and the crane had not been inspected annually for defects. Additionally, employees had not been trained to recognize and address aerial lift hazards, were exposed to electric hazards from ungrounded electrical equipment and lacked helmets to protect against falling objects...

May 16 2011
US Labor Department's OSHA cites Paradise Park Assisted Living in Lake Zurich, Ill., with safety and health violations after needle stick injury.
  The facility faces penalties totaling $72,000 after a nurse practitioner allegedly was injured in a November 2010 needle stick incident. Violations include failing to immediately test the blood of a source individual involved in a needle stick incident; ensure blood test results were communicated to the nurse practitioner; offer the hepatitis B vaccination to a caregiver with occupational exposure to blood within 10 working days of initial assignment; train employees in the hazards of chemicals present in their workspaces; maintain material safety data sheets for hazardous chemicals; identify the work area and provide an explanation of injuries in the sharps injury log; fully implement and annually train employees on the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard, including post-exposure evaluation and follow-up emergency procedures; and ensure containers for disposal of contaminated sharps were easily accessible to nurses in order to minimize exposure. Additional violations include failing to record the contents of training sessions; explain to newly hired staff the color coding, signs and labels used on regulated sharps waste containers; maintain records of employees who declined to accept the hepatitis B vaccination; explain and make copies accessible to nurses of OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens Standard; and properly record entries in the OSHA 300 log of workplace-related injuries and illnesses...

May 3 2011
US Labor Department's OSHA cites Paradise Park Assisted Living in Lake Zurich, Ill., with safety and health violations after needle stick injury.
  The facility faces penalties totaling $72,000 after a nurse practitioner allegedly was injured in a November 2010 needle stick incident. Violations include failing to immediately test the blood of a source individual involved in a needle stick incident; ensure blood test results were communicated to the nurse practitioner; offer the hepatitis B vaccination to a caregiver with occupational exposure to blood within 10 working days of initial assignment; train employees in the hazards of chemicals present in their workspaces; maintain material safety data sheets for hazardous chemicals; identify the work area and provide an explanation of injuries in the sharps injury log; fully implement and annually train employees on the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard, including post-exposure evaluation and follow-up emergency procedures; and ensure containers for disposal of contaminated sharps were easily accessible to nurses in order to minimize exposure. Additional violations include failing to record the contents of training sessions; explain to newly hired staff the color coding, signs and labels used on regulated sharps waste containers; maintain records of employees who declined to accept the hepatitis B vaccination; explain and make copies accessible to nurses of OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens Standard; and properly record entries in the OSHA 300 log of workplace-related injuries and illnesses...

April 18 2011
US Labor Department's OSHA cites Trimat Construction of Bidwell, Ohio, after inspector asks worker to leave trench moments before collapse Quick efforts may have saved man's life.
  The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued Trimat Construction Inc. of Bidwell penalties of $63,360 after a trench collapsed at a job site in Mercerville on March 8. An inspection was being conducted under OSHA's national emphasis program on trenching and excavation when the OSHA inspector directed an employee to exit the trench, believing collapse was imminent. Within five minutes the trench collapsed and could have buried the worker under 6 to 7 feet of soil. Citations were issued for allowing a Trimat employee to work in a trench without cave-in protection or a safe means of egress. The company also was issued citations for failing to require employees to wear head protection, failing to provide training on proper set-up and inspection procedures for maintaining channelization devices between the work area and road to protect workers from traffic hazards; failing to keep excavated material and equipment 2 feet from the edge of an excavation to prevent a cave-in...

April 15 2011
US Labor Department's OSHA cites Lowe's Home Centers for 13 violations following inspection at Castle Rock, Colo., store Proposed penalties total $82,700.
  Seven violations were cited for numerous inaccuracies in required injury and illness record keeping, and with electrical safety issues involving access to equipment and damage to wire insulation. Additional violations were related to issues with emergency exits, installation of proper electrical receptacles, failure to perform a personal protective equipment assessment, failure to properly label hazardous chemicals and lack of detail on required record keeping...

April 7 2011
US Labor Department's OSHA cites The Renaissance Project in Ellenville, NY, for inadequate workplace violence safeguards following worker's death Treatment facility also cited for record-keeping and bloodborne hazards.
  OSHA's investigation found that the employer lacked a written bloodborne pathogens exposure control plan, failed to train employees on exposure to bloodborne pathogens, did not offer the Hepatitis B vaccine to affected employees, lacked a written hazard communication plan, did not maintain illness and injury logs for 2010...

March 14 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA cites cites Georgia contractor with willful, serious trenching and excavation violations.
  In September 2010, as part of OSHA's National Emphasis Program on Trenching and Excavation, a compliance officer observed several violations at a worksite on Newnan Street in Carrollton. The company faces $64,750 in penalties for allowing a worker in a trench without cave-in protection, allowing employees to work in a trench with overhead hazards without wearing personal protective equipment, not supplying workers with a safe means of exit from the trench, exposure to struck-by hazards by allowing an employee in the trench too close to materials overhead, allowing materials to be placed too close to the edge of the trench so they could roll back into the excavation, and not inspecting the trench to identify and correct struck-by hazards....

March 10 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA cites Dothan, Ala., contractor for safety violations following worker's death at Enterprise, Ala., construction site.
  L & K Contracting has been assessed $159,600 in proposed penalties for five safety violations after one employee died and another was hospitalized after wet, heavy soil collapsed into a trench while the men were installing a sewer pipe. "An unprotected trench can become a grave in seconds if its walls cave in on workers," said Kurt Petermeyer, OSHA's area director in Mobile. OSHA issued citations for the company's failure to take adequate action to protect workers from soil that fell into the excavation, protect workers from hazards associated with water accumulation in an excavation and ensure that workers wore appropriate personal protective equipment while in the trench, allowing employees to work inside a trench without a safe means of exit from the excavation, and for failing to report the fatality to OSHA within the required eight-hour time period. OSHA standards require that all trenches and excavations 5 feet or deeper be protected against collapse...

March 7 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA fines Chicago-area contractor nearly $123,000 for failing to provide trench cave-in protection for workers.
  Inspections were conducted under OSHA's national emphasis program on trenching and excavation. The company was cited for failing to protect workers from cave-ins during trenching operations at a jobsite in Morton Grove. The citation alleges that employees were working in a trench at a depth greater than 7 feet without cave-in protection during an inspection on Oct. 4, 2010. A trench box that would protect workers was located near the site but not installed. Based on the October inspection, the company was issued citations for failing to provide a safe means of access and egress for employees working in an excavation .  An additional citation was issued for failing to provide hardhats for employees exposed to overhead hazards...

February 28 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA cites Canton, Mass., contractor for failing to provide cave-in protection at Boston jobsite.
  The company faces a total of $29,000 in proposed fines. OSHA's inspection found that the 7 to 7-and-one-half foot deep trench in which Trainor Construction employees were working lacked adequate protection against a collapse of its sidewalls. The agency also determined that the trench lacked shoring or underpinning for an unsupported concrete structure adjacent to the trench, the trench's support system members were not installed properly, and a competent person had not removed the workers from the trench. Finally, the employees lacked reflective vests or high visibility clothes, exposing them to the hazards of being struck by or caught between vehicular traffic...

February 25 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA cites A.A. Will Corp. $69,300 for failing to provide cave-in protection during electrical vault installation at Revere, Mass., jobsite.
  OSHA's nighttime inspection, initiated in response to a complaint about unsafe conditions, found A.A. Will Corp. employees working in a trench deeper than 5 feet that lacked protection against collapse of its sidewalls. The Stoughton contractor was installing electrical vaults in the station's parking lot. The trench also lacked a ladder or other means for the workers to exit in the event of a cave-in or other emergency...

February 24 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA cites Venetian Marble & Granite in Helotes, Texas, for exposing workers to excessive levels of respirable silica.
  OSHA's San Antonio office initiated a safety and health inspection at the company's facility on Western Oak Drive and determined that employees were exposed to respirable crystalline silica particles while grinding, sanding and buffing countertop products such as natural granite, quartz and solid surfaces. Proposed penalties total $41,300. The agency alleges that the company failed to ensure levels of crystalline silica met safety standards, provide employees with required respiratory protection, determine that employees were medically fit to wear respiratory protection, follow proper procedures to lock out/tag out accidental energy start-up prior to servicing and performing maintenance on machinery, properly guard a table saw and cut off saw, and train employees on the use of hazardous chemicals. Venetian Marble & Granite employs about 45 workers who manufacture custom countertops for residential and commercial applications...

February 14 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA cites Northeast Hospital Corp. for failing to protect workers against electrical hazards at Beverly, Mass., facility Hospital faces $63,000 in proposed fines.
  Northeast Hospital Corp. faces a total of $63,000 in proposed fines following an OSHA inspection prompted by a worker complaint. OSHA found that some hospital employees were exposed to potential electric shock, burns, arc flash incidents and electrocution while changing circuit breakers on live electrical panels. Specifically, the employees lacked or did not use personal protective equipment while working with energized electrical equipment; electrical protective equipment was not periodically tested; electrical safety related work practices were not used; and specific procedures were not developed for the control of hazardous energy while replacing electrical breakers. The hospital also was issued a citation for failing to ensure that unused openings in electrical panels and cabinet motor control centers were effectively closed...

February 9 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA proposes $337,500 in fines to Louisiana company for recordkeeping violations.
 OSHA's Baton Rouge office initiated its investigation on Aug. 10, 2010, after receiving a complaint alleging that employees' work-related injuries and illnesses were not being recorded in the OSHA 300 log. Employers are required to record fatalities as well as all significant injuries and illnesses, including the number of days away from work, the days of job transfer or any restriction that results from the injury or illness...

February 8 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA fines Chicago-area contractor $60,600 for failing to provide trench cave-in protection for workers.
 The inspection was conducted under an OSHA national emphasis program on trenching and excavation. The willful citation alleges that a Doherty, Giannini & Rietz Construction employee was working in a trench at a depth greater than 6 feet without cave-in protection during a December 2010 inspection. A trench box was present on the site but not installed in the trench...

February 7 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA cites North Branford, Conn., contractor for failing to provide cave-in protection at Stratford, Conn., jobsite Cherry Hill Construction faces more than $53,000 in proposed fines.
 OSHA's inspection found a Cherry Hill Construction employee working in an excavation deeper than 5 feet that lacked proper protection against a collapse of its sidewalls as well as a ladder or other safe means of exit. The worker also was exposed to being struck by the bucket of an excavator that was placing gravel in the excavation. OSHA standards require that all trenches and excavations 5 feet or deeper be protected against collapse...

January 31 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA fines manufacturer in Little Rock, Ark., $88,000 for exposing workers to safety and health hazards.
 Proposed penalties total $88,000 for Welspun Tubular LLC.  OSHA has issued citations for failing to protect workers from struck-by hazards, determine load capacities of cranes, provide a self-closing fire door, provide the required machine guarding equipment and ensure lockout/tagout procedures were followed to de-energize electrical equipment; failing to identify respiratory hazards, provide training in hazard communication and provide hepatitis B vaccinations for employees exposed to blood-borne pathogens or other infectious materials. Additional violations include failure to provide fork truck maintenance and failing to adequately complete the OSHA 300 logs with detailed information on work-related injuries and illnesses...

January 31 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA proposes $220,000 in fines to Syracuse, NY, manufacturer for willful, serious and uncorrected violations. Oberdorfer LLC cited for exposing workers to silica, mechanical and electrical hazards.
 The Syracuse manufacturer of aluminum castings faces a total of $220,000 in proposed fines following an OSHA inspection.  The company was cited for employee overexposure to airborne concentrations of silica, which has been classified as a human lung carcinogen, and failure to implement engineering controls to reduce workers' exposure to silica. In addition, the inspection found that an employee who was overexposed to silica lacked a respirator.  The company also was issued fines for fall, electrical and machine guarding hazards; a locked exit door; lack of a permit-required confined space program and training; failure to develop specific lockout/tagout procedures to prevent the unintended startup of machinery; lack of an eyewash station; and failing to provide training on silica; inadequate recording of workplace injuries and illnesses...

January 26 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA cites Cherry Hill, NJ, company for worker exposure to silica, other health and safety hazards.
  KOL Marble and Granite has been cited for 15 workplace health and safety violations at its Cherry Hill facility. Proposed penalties total $48,600.  OSHA initiated an inspection in response to a complaint alleging that employees were exposed to silica dust while dry cutting stone. Violations cited include the company's failure to have engineering and/or administrative controls in place for employee overexposure to respirable dusts that contain 28 percent silica; establish or implement a written respiratory protection program; train employees on the hazards of silica; implement a written hazard communication program for employees exposed to silica; properly guard machines; properly train forklift operators; provide effective respiratory training; conduct a hazard assessment; ensure that employees use appropriate eye protection when exposed to flying particles; provide noise training to employees who were over the permissible exposure level; and conduct audiometric testing for employees who were over the permissible exposure level. The company also was cited for failing to maintain injury and illness logs for 2009...

January 20 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA cites Amesbury, Mass., manufacturer for emergency response, respirator, chemical, electrical and other hazards Durasol Corp. faces $43,800 in proposed fines.

January 19 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA fines recycler Greenstar for potentially exposing workers to bloodborne pathogens.
  Proposed penalties total $53,000 for alleged failure to provide puncture-resistant gloves for handling trash, provide a tie-off point to prevent employees from falling, use lockout/tagout procedures on machinery, provide a fire alarm system, ensure a fire evacuation plan was followed and ensure workers facing exposure to hepatitis B are vaccinated. Other citations allege failure to record injuries within a seven-day period, record restricted days, record days when workers were absent and complete logs with detailed information...

January 18 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA seeks court order to require Gerardi Sewer & Water Co. to notify OSHA of jobsites to protect against cave-ins.
  The U.S. Department of Labor is seeking an administrative court order requiring Gerardi Sewer & Water Co., a Norridge, Ill.-based contractor, to provide a monthly report of its work locations to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, permit unannounced jobsite audits by qualified independent consultants and annually train workers on cave-in protection for the next two years. The company received citations for failing to protect workers from cave-ins during trenching operations...

January 13 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA cites US Steel Corp. and Power Piping Co. with $175,000 in fines for energy control hazards.
  Safety citations were issued for having an inadequate lockout/tagout to prevent the inadvertent release of energy, a deficient process safety management program, and failure to implement an emergency response plan, evaluate respiratory hazards, use flame retardant gloves and use approved electrical equipment...

January 13 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA cites El Paso, Texas, plastering company for exposing workers to fall hazards.
  Proposed penalties total $99,000 for failing to provide base plates and mud sills to prevent scaffolds from becoming unstable, a ladder for safe access to all working levels of the scaffold, training for employees who perform scaffolding work, and fall protection systems such as guardrails and/or personal fall arrest systems such as harnesses to employees working from a scaffold...

January 11 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA cites chemical plant in Plaquemine, La., with 14 workplace safety and health violations.
  Proposed penalties total $55,000 for failing to illuminate exit routes, train workers performing preventive maintenance on safety critical instruments, and ensure eyewashes had adequate flow and capped nozzles...

January 11 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA fines Bridgford Foods Processing $212,000 for lockout/tagout and other violations.
  The company has been cited for failing to implement and provide training for workers on lockout/tagout procedures, thereby exposing them to energized equipment.  The company allegedly allowed workers to remove a shovel stuck in an auger screw conveyor without locking or tagging out the auger, placing employees in danger of the machine operating while they worked to remove the shovel. Bridgford Foods Processing also has been issued citations for having locked exit doors, failing to provide lockout/tagout or electrical safety training, failing to provide a load backrest extension on a powered industrial truck to minimize the hazard of material falling, failing to perform periodic energy control inspections and to maintain unobstructed exit routes, failing to properly illuminate exit signs...

January 10 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA cites Worcester, Mass., contractor for failing to provide cave-in protection at Quincy, Mass., jobsite.
  Proposed fines total $20,020 for exposing workers to trenching hazards at a Quincy, Mass., worksite. OSHA's inspection found Amorello employees working in a trench that lacked proper shoring or sloping of its sidewalls to prevent them from collapsing onto the workers. The inspection also found that the trench did not have a ladder so workers could swiftly exit the trench, and that bricks and excavated material were stored at the edge of the trench wall...

January 5 2011
US Labor Department's OSHA fines Newark, NJ, construction company $58,000 for not protecting workers against falls.
  OSHA initiated an inspection as part of its local emphasis program on fall hazards in construction. As a result of the inspection, the company was cited for failure to provide fall protection to employees working on roofs approximately 11 feet above ground level, to extend two ladders 3 feet above the work area and to protect employees from eye injuries while using pneumatic nail guns. The company was also cited for failure to conduct frequent and regular inspections of the jobsite, and to maintain contact with a ladder when accessing the roof while carrying equipment...

January 4 2011
US Department of Labor's cites Speedy Rooter Inc. of South Sioux City, Neb., following double fatality in sewer manhole.
  Speedy Rooter Inc. in South Sioux City, Neb., has been issued fines of $94,500 after a worker entered the manhole in an attempt to rescue another worker who had been overcome by sewer gas, and both workers died. Citations were issued for failing to effectively develop and implement a confined space permit program to ensure workers were protected from confined space hazards. Other citations include failing to provide effective means for atmospheric testing, space ventilation, summoning rescue and emergency services, issuing entry permits and conducting employee training..

December 29 2010
US Department of Labor's OSHA cites US Postal Service in Duluth, Ga., with repeat and serious safety violations, $80,000 in penalties.
  Violations include deficiencies involving lockout/tagout to prevent accidental start-up of machinery; permitting material to be stored in front of the electrical and circuit breaker panel; having unused openings on electrical, fire and receptacle boxes; using flexible cords instead of fixed wiring; and missing the electrical strain prevention clamp on the dock lights. The Postal Service is also being cited for failing to mark exits visibly and having broken dock lights that exposed electrical wiring...

December 29 2010
US Department of Labor's OSHA proposes $238,000 in fines against US Postal Service for electrical hazards at Shrewsbury, Mass., mail processing facility.
  OSHA's inspection, which began June 29 in response to a worker complaint, found that unqualified employees at the Shrewsbury location were allowed to work on and test energized electrical circuits and equipment. In addition, electrical equipment had not been de-energized prior to maintenance being performed, and employees were not supplied with insulated tools and equipment.  OSHA also issued the Postal Service for lack of employee training in safety-related electrical work practices, lack of personal protective equipment, inadequate voltage meters and failing to perform periodic inspections of the Shrewsbury facility's energy control procedures...

December 27 2010
US Department of Labor's OSHA cites construction company more than $81,000 for excavation hazards at Galena Park, Texas, worksite.
  Horseshoe Construction Inc. has been cited for failing to protect workers from excavation hazards. Violations were issued for failure to provide a protective shoring system, failing to protect workers from a possible cave-in, failing to provide a safe means of access and egress from the excavation, and for failing to remove accumulating water at the bottom of the trench. Violations were also issued for having excavated material piles located within 2 feet of the edge of the excavation and for failing to complete all recordable work-related injuries in detail on the OSHA 300 log...

December 22 2010
US Department of Labor's OSHA fines Illinois-based Di Paolo Co. $113,000 for failure to provide cave-in protection for trench workers.
  OSHA's inspection, initiated in June, for failing to provide cave-in protection for workers. Cave-in protection is required when employees are working in an excavation at a depth greater than 5 feet. Additionally, the company was issued violations for failing to provide fall protection for shoring systems and walkways, failing to properly train flaggers, and having spliced flexible extension cords and unapproved repairs to electrical cords...

December 21 2010
US Department of Labor's OSHA fines Corpus Christi, Texas-based construction company $87,000 for exposing workers to potential cave-ins.
  Citations were issued alleging a failure to ensure employees did not enter areas under digging equipment, ensure soil was placed 2 feet or more from the excavation site and provide safe access to a work area with a break in elevation greater than 19 inches. Additionally, violations were cited for allegedly failing to provide workers with egress when working in a trench that is deeper than 4 feet and failing to provide cave-in protection...

December 21 2010
US Department of Labor's OSHA fines Chicago-area contractor $360,000 for failing to provide trench cave-in protection for workers.
  As a result of inspections conducted under the OSHA Trenching and Excavation Special Emphasis Program, OSHA issued citations alleging that Gerardi failed to properly protect workers from trench cave-ins . Standards mandate that all excavations 5 feet or deeper be protected against collapse. The company was also issued citations alleging that employees failed to wear hard hats, and that the employer failed to provide a safe means of access and egress for employees working in an excavation site, as well as allegedly failing to ensure that water accumulations were removed from a trench.  This case meets the criteria for OSHA's Severe Violators Enforcement Program. Initiated in the spring of 2010...

December 10 2010
US Department of Labor's OSHA fines Texas Linen in Austin, Texas more than $126,000 for multiple hazards.
  OSHA began an inspection June 10 at the company's worksite on Smith Road and found employees operating a forklift without wearing a seat belt, as well as wet floors in passageways, aisles and laundry work areas.  OSHA issued serious citations alleging a failure to provide fall protection for employees working at an elevation of 16 feet; to provide an adequate number of locks and enforce lockout procedures during machine servicing to prevent injuries from unexpected re-start of machines and equipment; and to ensure a fiberglass ladder was set up and used correctly. Additional citations were issued for failure to keep flooring dry;  provide working and easily accessible portable fire extinguishers...

December 9 2010
US Department of Labor's OSHA cites 3 Massachusetts contractors for cave-in hazards at Salem, NH, jobsite.
  Joseph P. Cardillo & Son Inc. of Wakefield, Majestic Mechanical Contractors Inc. of Tewksbury and Domenick Zanni Sons Inc. of Reading face $154,700 in proposed fines.  The OSHA inspection began in June when an agency official observed employees working in an unprotected 8-foot deep excavation that also lacked a ladder or other safe means of egress.  OSHA standards require that excavations 5 feet or deeper be protected against collapse...

December 6 2010
US Department of Labor's OSHA fines Ohio-based Ameriwood Industries $60,000 for lack of protective gear and training.
  The wood furniture manufacturer in Tiffin, has been cited for failing to train employees in safe work practices and require them to wear proper safety equipment when working on electrical panels. Proposed penalties total $60,000.  The company also received citations for failing to implement safety-related work practices and require employees to wear personal face protection gear when working on electrical panels.  Ameriwood Industries Inc. paid $70,500 in fines in 2009 for exposing workers to hazardous dust, a lack of training, failing to ensure employees wore personal protective equipment, and failing to implement and train employees in lockout/tagout procedures of energy sources...

December 1 2010
US Department of Labor's OSHA cites Next Step Burwell LLC in Burwell, Neb., for exposing workers to serious electrical hazards.  $75,600 in penalties proposed following investigation of fatality.
  OSHA cited the company following an investigation of an incident in which two workers were subjected to electric shock. A Next Step employee was shocked after being instructed to clean out a charged electrical wiring cable tray in which a combination of rain water and corn stalk dust had been allowed to accumulate. Subsequently, a subcontracted employee was fatally electrocuted after being asked to check the cable tray...

December 1 2010
US Labor Department's OSHA cites Huntsman Petrochemical of Houston, Texas, for deficient lockout/tagout procedures.
  The company's facility on Jefferson Chemical Road in Conroe, Texas faces proposed penalties of $75,600 for an inadequate process safety management program and deficient lockout/tagout procedures to prevent the accidental start-up of machinery...

December 1 2010
US Labor Department's OSHA fines Hondo, Texas, company more than $52,000 for failing to provide forklift training to workers.
  "This company jeopardized the safety of its workers by failing to provide forklift training," said Jeff Funke, OSHA's area director in San Antonio, Texas. "It's imperative that employers adhere to OSHA's safety and health standards to prevent injuries and fatalities by properly training their workers."  Other violations include failing to provide proper housekeeping by placing miscellaneous items on the stairway, creating a trip hazard; and electrical deficiencies, and failing to record injuries in the OSHA 300 log and to keep fire exits clear...

December 1 2010
US Labor Department's OSHA cites Home Depot in San Antonio for lack of worker protective equipment, improper recordkeeping.
  Home Depot U.S.A. Inc. at 9115 North Loop 1604 in San Antonio faces proposed penalties of $70,500 for lacking adequate personal protective equipment and deficient injury recordkeeping.  OSHA began its inspection on July 30, which found that an employee had sustained chemical burns due to lack of appropriate personal protective equipment and training for protective equipment...

November 30 2010
US Labor Department's OSHA fines Ohio-based Mikesell Excavating more than $49,000 for failure to provide cave-in protection for workers.
  OSHA standards mandate that all excavations 5 feet or deeper be protected against collapse. The company was issued citations for failing to properly protect workers from trench cave-ins as a result of an October inspection and for failing to train workers on proper safety regulations and to have worksites inspected by trained personnel...

November 30 2010
US Labor Department's OSHA cites Chambersburg, Pa., excavation company for trenching hazards.
  David H. Martin Excavating Inc. in Chambersburg faces $63,000 in penalties for alleged trenching hazards.  OSHA standards mandate that all excavations 5 feet or deeper be protected against collapse. "When sudden cave-ins occur, unprotected trenches can become death traps," said Kevin Kilp, director of OSHA's Harrisburg Area Office in Pennsylvania. "The company bypassed necessary safeguards, leaving its workers at risk of serious injury and possible death."

November 29 2010
US Labor Department's OSHA levies $46,200 in proposed penalties against US Postal Service in Des Moines, Iowa.
  The U.S. Postal Service Processing and Distribution Center in Des Moines faces proposed fines totaling $46,200 for failing to properly train workers on powered industrial truck hazards. Alleged violations include failing to provide refresher training when workers were observed operating powered industrial trucks in an unsafe manner and to certify that workers were properly trained, and failing to conduct an evaluation of each powered industrial truck operator at least every three years...

November 17 2010
US Labor Department's OSHA fines Macon, Ga., plating company more than $300,000 for exposing workers to hazardous chemicals.
  Aerospace/Defense Coatings of Georgia Inc. in Macon has been cited for 19 health violations following a complaint concerning personal protective equipment and the handling, storing and disposing of chemicals. Violations include respirator and personal protective equipment, amongst others...

November 17 2010
US Labor Department's OSHA proposes $287,000 in fines against US Postal Service in Bluefield, W.Va., for exposing workers to electrical hazards.
  The violations cite the facility's failure to label electrical cabinets, properly train employees, use safety-related work practices when exposed to energized electrical parts and provide proper electrical protective equipment. A citation was also issued for allowing an unauthorized employee to perform inspections...

November 16 2010
US Labor Department's OSHA fines Precision Production Inc. more than $149,000 for lack of hazardous energy procedures, not training workers.
  Precision Production Inc., a manufacturer of fabricated components in Cleveland, faces penalties totaling $149,250 for failing to establish lockout/tagout procedures of energy sources, train workers on recognizing hazardous energy sources and control methods, and require workers to lock out machinery when performing maintenance and have machine guards in place. Other alleged violations include failing to develop training programs for working with hazardous chemicals, develop and implement a workplace hazard assessment, train workers in the use and wear of personal protective equipment...

November 9 2010
Dracut, Mass., contractor faces more than $32,000 in fines from US Labor Department's OSHA for excavation hazards at Belmont, Mass., jobsite.
  OSHA has cited Albanese D&S Inc. after observing workers installing concrete culverts in an excavation deeper than 5 feet that lacked protection against a possible collapse of its sidewalls. The excavation also lacked a ladder or other safe means for the workers to enter and exit. The company also was cited for not removing a defective ladder from service...

November 3 2010
US Labor Department's OSHA fines Lowe's Rockford Distribution Center $182,000 for recordkeeping violations.
  OSHA has cited the Lowe's Home Centers Inc. regional distribution center in Rockford with proposed penalties of $182,000 for alleged continuous failure to correctly classify injuries or illnesses and not correctly recording the number of days a worker was away from work due to injury or illness in the OSHA 300 log. "Accurate injury and illness records are vital to protecting workers' health and safety," said OSHA Area Director Kathy Webb in North Aurora, Ill. "Accurate records are an important tool that employers and workers can use to identify hazards in the workplace, and they also enable OSHA to better target its resources"...

November 2 2010
US Labor Department's OSHA fines ABC Professional Tree Services $146,000 for failing to protect workers near energized transmission lines.

November 1 2010
US Labor Department's OSHA cites National Grid for cave-in and struck-by hazards following injury at Boston worksite with proposed penalties of $36,500.
  Workers had not been trained to recognize and avoid trenching hazards, and the trench had not been inspected by a competent person with the knowledge to identify such hazards.  Brenda Gordon, OSHA's area director for Boston and southeastern Massachusetts comments "A competent inspection would have identified and allowed these hazardous conditions to be fixed before workers ever entered the trench. I urge employers to prevent incidents such as this one by always following proper procedures and ensuring effective trenching safeguards at all jobsites."

November 1 2010
US Labor Department's OSHA cites Newport, Del., company $67,000 for exposing workers to trenching hazards.
  "Excavation is recognized as one of the most hazardous construction operations. However, cave-ins are easily avoided when the proper precautions are taken," said Domenick Salvatore, director of OSHA's Wilmington Area Office. "By bypassing necessary safeguards, the company left its workers at risk of serious injury and possible death."...

October 26 2010
US Labor Department's OSHA cites Aliquippa, Pa., landscaping company for safety violations following worker electrocution with proposed penalties of $119,700.
  The company was cited for failing to provide personal protective equipment for workers cutting in and below trees, and for ensuring that an unqualified worker did not work in proximity to an energized electrical line.  The company also allegedly failed to conduct a hazard assessment, to provide personal protective equipment training, to provide first aid supplies, to develop, implement and maintain a hazard communication program, maintain material safety data sheets for hazardous chemicals used by employees on site, and provide information and training to employees on the hazardous chemicals in their work area...

October 19 2010
US Labor Department's OSHA fines Columbus, Ohio, US Postal Service processing center $210,000 for electrical and equipment hazards.
  The Postal Service failed to provide adequate electrical safety training, ensure that workers followed safety-related work practices while working on electrical equipment and provide workers with appropriate personal protective equipment while working on energized electrical equipment...

October 5 2010
U.S. Labor Department's OSHA fines AK Steel Corp. in Middletown, Ohio, $53,000 for failing to record worker injuries, hearing loss.

October 5 2010
U.S. Labor Department's OSHA fines Equistar Chemicals in Tuscola, Ill., $81,900 for safety violations following fire.

October 5 2010
U.S. Labor Department's OSHA cites Springdale, Pa., company for workplace safety violations following worker electrocution.

October 4 2010
U.S. Labor Department's OSHA fines Holland, Ohio, company $135,800 for exposing workers to cave-in hazards. 
"Cave-ins are a leading cause of worker injuries and fatalities during excavations."...

October 4 2010
U.S. Labor Department's OSHA cites Ohio-based trenching company for safety violations after worker fatality. 
"Cave-in accidents are a leading cause of worker fatalities during excavations, and this was a completely avoidable accident had the company followed all the required OSHA standards."...

September 30 2010
U.S. Labor Department's OSHA cites Consolidated Blenders Inc. in Odessa, Neb., with $120,600 in penalties for inadequate respiratory protection, lack of confined space permit, lockout/tagout violations and more.

September 28 2010
U.S. Labor Department's OSHA cites Atlanta paper recycler with $48,000 in proposed fines for lack of written PPE hazard assessment and hazard communication program deficiencies.

September 23 2010
Monroe, Ga., company cited $62,800 by OSHA for exposing workers to excavation hazards.

September 22 2010
R.A. Cullinan and Son Inc. fined $71,000 by OSHA for failure to provide cave-in protection for workers.

September 17 2010
U.S. Labor Department's OSHA cites Cathcart Contracting Co. in Florida for exposing workers to cave-in hazards.  Fines total $112,000.  

September 16 2010
U.S. Labor Department's OSHA cites Austin, Texas, company $51,000 for exposing workers to excavation and other hazards.  

September 7 2010
U.S. Labor Department's OSHA proposes $89,000 in fines to CVS Pharmacy for exit, storage and other hazards at Orange, Conn., store. 
OSHA found that employees working in the store's stockroom were not provided with unobstructed and effective emergency exit routes due to containers and pallets blocking the routes...

September 7 2010
U.S. Labor Department fines Watchung, NJ, Dollar Tree Stores more than $50,000 for exposing workers to workplace safety hazards. 
Violations include failing to properly stack, block, interlock or limit the height of stored materials, to cover exposed electrical outlets, and to keep storage areas free of tripping and fire hazards...

September 3 2010
U.S. Labor Department's OSHA fines Alabama company after worker was killed when crushed between a motor being hoisted with a forklift and other equipment. 

September 2 2010
Cave-in hazards at Ariton, AL., worksite lead to $287,500 in US Labor Department OSHA fines. 

September 1 2010
Cave-in hazard at Newport, RI, jobsite leads to nearly $70,000 in US Labor Department OSHA fines for Middletown, RI, contractor. 

September 1 2010
U.S. Department of Labor cites S&S Plumbing for exposing workers to potential trenching hazards at worksite with proposed penalties of $46,975. 

September 1 2010
U.S. Department of Labor cites Houston manufacturing company for hiding work-related injuries and illnesses; fines exceed $1.2 million. 

August 31 2010
U.S. Department of Labor fines Wisconsin company $369,500 in proposed penalties for inadequate hearing conservation program, recordkeeping and other violations.   

August 31 2010
U.S. Department of Labor cites construction company for potential trenching hazards and proposes penalties of $40,000.   

August 30 2010
U.S. Department of Labor cites Letart, W.Va., manufacturer for workplace safety and health hazards.  
Proposed penalties total $44,000 for 10 serious violations including inadequate hearing and respiratory programs, electrical hazards, improper use of compressed air, as well as employee exposure to silica, lead and manganese fumes...

August 26 2010
Company cited with proposed penalties of $62,200 for failure to provide reverse signal alarm on equipment amongst other safety violations.  
OSHA initiated an investigation after an employee digging a shallow ditch was struck by a tractor and pinned while backing up.  Additional violations include failure to train workers in the recognition and avoidance of hazards ...

August 25 2010
U.S. Department of Labor's OSHA cites US Postal Service in Kansas City, Kan., with $191,000 in penalties for serious and repeat safety violations.  
Violations include overall deficiencies in walking/working surfaces, fall protection, sling use, machine guarding, welding and electrical equipment...

August 23 2010
OSHA fines Karl's Event Rental $85,000 for combustible dust, electrical and other hazards. 

August 23 2010
U.S. Department of Labor fines Exeter, Pa., manufacturer $156,000 for workplace safety hazards.  
Proposed penalties total $156,000 for inadequate lockout/tagout procedure for energy sources, unguarded machinery and electrical hazards...

August 23 2010
U.S. Labor Department's OSHA fines manufacturer nearly $70,000 for worker exposure to noise, other workplace hazards. 

August 20 2010
U.S. Department of Labor proposes $350,000 in fines against US Postal Service for electrical hazards at Portsmouth, NH, mail processing facility. 

August 18 2010
U.S. Department of Labor proposes $49,000 in fines for cave-in hazard. 

August 12 2010
U.S. Department of Labor cites AmeriCold Logistics with $189,000 in fines for serious safety violations at Burley, Idaho, facility.  
Many of the alleged violations cited were for deficiencies in Americold Logistics' process safety management program, which helps to ensure that operations involving hazardous chemicals are performed in a safe manner...

August 12 2010
U.S. Department of Labor's OSHA cites M & G Equipment Group following worker's death in Alamo, Texas. 

August 9 2010
U.S. Department of Labor cites Huntsville, Ala. plant for facility hazards.  
Proposed penalties total $191,500 for failure to provide adequate lockout/tagout procedures, machine guarding issues, obstructed exit pathways...

August 9 2010
U.S. Department of Labor's OSHA proposes $357,000 in fines against US Postal Service for electrical hazards at Boston mail processing facility. 

August 5 2010
U.S. Department of Labor's OSHA cites Matula & Matula Construction following worker death in Lake Jackson, Texas.

August 4 2010
U.S. Department of Labor's OSHA cites Jimmie Crowder Excavating and Land Clearing for endangering workers. 

July 29 2010
U.S. Labor Department's OSHA proposes $420,000 in fines against US Postal Service for electrical hazards at Vermont mail processing facility.   

July 29 2010
Noise exposure complaint leads to proposed OSHA fines of $73,500 at Marcum Transport of Verdunville, W.Va.   

July 22 2010
U.S. Department of Labor's OSHA cites South Windsor, Conn., contractor for cave-in, trenching and fall hazards.   

July 20 2010
U.S. Department of Labor cites Legion Industries in Waynesboro, Ga., for machine guarding, inadequate safety training, electrical, chemical and other hazards. 

July 20 2010
U.S. Department of Labor proposes $112,000 in fines against Home Depot USA for chemical hazards and inadequate safety training. 

July 19 2010
U.S. Department of Labor's OSHA cites Jarden Home Brands for alleged safety violations.  
Proposed penalties totaling $197,500 were issued for electrical hazards, inadequate lockout/tagout procedures and machine guarding, training deficiencies in the use of forklift trucks...

July 12 2010
U.S. Department of Labor proposes more than $69,000 in penalties against Roll-Kraft for exposing workers to hazards.  
The steel manufacturing facility was cited for failing to provide required safety training and for not protecting workers against electrical and machine hazards...

July 12 2010
U.S. Department of Labor cites Krestmark Industries in Dallas for allegedly lacking hearing conservation program and other safety and health violations.  
A willful violation has been issued for the company's failure to institute...

July 8 2010
Repeat and serious safety hazards at 4 Xpect Discount locations in Connecticut lead to $140,000 in US Labor Department OSHA fines for Ohio retailer.  
Inspections  found safety violations related to personal protective equipment, forklift operator training, failure to maintain or certify injury and illness logs...

July 6 2010
U.S. Department of Labor files worker safety complaint against USPS.  
Complaint requests enterprise-wide remedy, a 1st...

July 12 2010
OSHA proposes $272,000 in fines against US Postal Service for exposing workers to electrical hazards at Capitol Heights, Md., facility.  
"These citations and sizable fines reflect the Postal Service's failure to equip its workers with the necessary knowledge and skills to safely work"...

June 28 2010
OSHA proposes $430,000 in fines against US Postal Service for electrical hazards at Scarborough, Maine mail processing facility.   "
The Postal Service knew that proper and effective training was needed for the safety of its workers but did not provide it."...

June 15 2010
Employer ordered by US Department of Labor to make amends to employee censured for reporting work-related injury. 

June 8 2010
OSHA fines US Postal Service nearly $500,000 for exposing workers to electrical hazards at two Philadelphia facilities. 
 OSHA's inspections found inadequately trained employees performing work without the proper personal protective equipment while being exposed to live parts...

June 1 2010
OSHA cites Linden, NJ, manufacturer for exposing employees to chemical hazards. 
 OSHA has proposed penalties totaling $88,500 for hazards found in an inspection initiated upon receiving a complaint related to a chlorine release at the facility.  Among the hazards observed by OSHA inspectors was the company's failure to establish and implement written procedures required to manage any changes to technology, facilities, equipment and procedures that can potentially impact a chemical process...

May 26 2010
OSHA orders United Parcel Service to compensate driver terminated for refusing to drive due to safety concerns. 
OSHA investigated the employee's allegation that UPS terminated his employment in retaliation for his refusal to drive after raising safety concerns and has ordered UPS to pay $111,008...

May 24 2010
OSHA proposes more than $60,000 in penalties against Waukesha, Wis.-based Baird Display for 19 safety violations. 
OSHA discovered that employees were bypassing safety switches in order to reach into running machinery to un-jam it without shutting down the machine.  Other alleged violations include failure to establish a lockout/tagout energy control program, to provide proper training and to have proper guarding on machinery or rotating shafts...

May 20 2010
OSHA cites former North Brunswick, NJ, manufacturer for exposing workers to risks involving hazardous chemicals. 
Church & Dwight Co. Inc. has been cited fro 14 serious violations involving employee exposure to chemical hazards.  Proposed penalties total $55,125...

May 20 2010
OSHA finds CSX Transportation Inc. retaliated against dispatcher who reported safety concerns. 
The rail carrier was ordered to rescind discipline and pay worker $5,000 in punitive damages...

May 13 2010
US Department of Labor's OSHA cites Corpus Christi, Texas-based mobile home park for exposing workers to trenching hazards. 
  OSHA has cited Bardav Inc., doing business as Martha's Vineyard Mobile Home Park in Corpus Christi, with 13 violations for exposing workers to trenching violations with proposed penalties totaling $50,250...

May 11 2010
OSHA notifies Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center of workplace safety and health hazards to its workers. 
  Violations identified involve electrical hazards, safety guarding of machines, compliance with requirements for controlling bloodborne pathogens and confined space entry, among others...

May 10 2010
OSHA finds Port Authority Trans-Hudson Corp. violated whistleblower law. 
  A whistleblower investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration found that the company violated an employee's rights when he was absent from work while recovering from an injury...

May 10 2010
OSHA proposes more than $61,000 in fines against Brighton, Mass., contractor for excavation hazards. 
  OSHA's inspection found employees working in a trench more than 8-feet deep that lacked cave-in protection and a ladder or other safe means of exit, and also had excavated spoils piled at its edge, a condition that exposed workers in the trench to crushing or struck-by hazards...

May 10 2010
US Department of Labor's OSHA fines US Postal Service processing center $210,000 for safety violations. 
  OSHA's inspection found that the postal service failed to provide required electrical safety training for its workers; to ensure workers used safety-related work practices while working on electrical equipment; and to provide workers with appropriate personal protective equipment while working on energized equipment...

May 10 2010
US Department of Labor's OSHA proposes $217,000 in fines against US Postal Service for electrical hazards at Denver mail processing facility. 
  OSHA's inspection found that employees were performing testing on live electrical equipment and doing so without adequate training, personal protective equipment and safety-related work practices...

April 28 2010
US Department of Labor's OSHA fines Lowe's Home Center $110,000 for recordkeeping violations at Cincinnati and Dayton stores. 
  OSHA requires employers to record and maintain occupational injuries and illnesses on the OSHA 300 log.  "Accurate records are an important tool that employers and workers can use to identify hazards in the workplace, and they also enable OSHA to better target its resources."...

April 14 2010
US Department of Labor's OSHA proposes $61,500 in penalties against Fleetpride Inc. for safety violations. 
  An OSHA inspection alleges that the company had damaged, inoperable emergency lighting; exit signs not illuminated; and a damaged fall protection lanyard not taken out of service.  The company was also cited for improper personal protective equipment, no hazard assessment certification, no personal protective equipment training certification and no cover on an electrical box...

April 7 2010
US Department of Labor's OSHA cites contractor for willful and serious safety violations following trench fatality in Atlanta 
  Stamar Inc. has been cited for failing to provide a safe means to exit a 7-to9 foot trench and to provide an adequate protective system for trenching...

March 17 2010
OSHA cites Pecos, Texas, manufacturing facility for alleged safety and health hazards.
  OSHA has cited TransPecos Foods in Pecos for alleged workplace safety and health violations following an inspection at the company's facility on East Palmer Road.  Proposed penalties total $69,650 for failing to protect employees from exposed electrical wires, to provide forklift inspections, to provide a wash station for employees during the use of corrosive chemicals and to train employees on hazard communication...

March 17 2010
OSHA fines Allentown, Pa., company $101,700 for failing to abate workplace safety and health hazards.
  OSHA has cited COMPUSPAR USA Inc. for failing to abate previously cited workplace safety and health violations, including failure to maintain OSHA 300 logs; to develop and implement a hazard communication program; to train employees on hazardous chemicals, and implement a respirator protection program...

February 18 2010
OSHA cites Cranesville Block Co. for safety and health hazards at Kingston, NY, plant.
  OSHA has proposed $45,500 in fines for alleged violations of health and safety standards after an inspection prompted by employee complaints.  Specific hazards included blocked exits, workers lacking safety glasses and gloves when working with hazardous chemicals, unlabeled containers of hazardous chemicals, unmarked electrical equipment, exposed live electrical parts and moisture in electrical equipment...

January 28 2010
OSHA proposes $57,000 in penalties for trench safety violations.
  OSHA is proposing $57,000 in penalties against Triangle Grading and Paving, Inc. for safety violations that exposed its employees to cave-in hazards working at a trench in Fort Bragg, N.C...

January 27 2010
Methuen, Mass., contractor faces nearly $167,000 in OSHA fines for cave-in hazards.
  Trenching safety hazards at two Massachusetts worksites have led to large fines.  Hazards cited include exposure to cave-in and struck-by hazards from material stored at a trench's edge and lack of a safe means of exit.  Additional hazards include...

January 27 2010
OSHA proposing more than $135,000 in penalties against Atlanta stone countertop manufacturer for health hazards. 
Investigations reveal exposure of workers to excess amounts of silica by not fully implementing a respiratory protection program, failing to fully implement a hearing conservation program and failing to establish a written hazard communication program...

January 25 2010
OSHA cites contractor for cave-in hazard.
  A lack of cave-in protection at a Stamford, Conn., worksite has led to $47,700 in proposed fines...

January 7 2010
OSHA proposes $55,200 in fines to contractor for cave-in hazard.
  OSHA has cited CELCO Construction Corp. for violations of safety standards after an OSHA inspector observed a company employee working in an unprotected 6-foot deep excavation...

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