A newsletter of workplace safety and labor issues
Since late April, OSHA has issued only three additional enforcement press releases (listed below, Gulf Cable, the Saipan casino case, and Republic Steel). Whereas the Obama administration issued press releases for any case greater than $40,000 (as well as “novel” cases like workplace violence and heat stroke), there seems to be no rhyme or reason…
Zachary Henzerling, a 20 year old ” big kid at heart,” was on his third week at work for Environmental Enterprises Inc., a hazardous waste management facility in Spring Valley, Ohio, when he was killed 2012 in a flash fire and explosion on Dec. 28, 2012. Last week the company plead guilty to misdemeanor charges of negligent homicide…
Which statement below represents reality? This one? NOTICE TO EMPLOYEES OF BRMC WORKPLACE VIOLENCE PREVENTION PLAN May 22,2017 Bergen Regional Medical Center (BRMC) is proud to report that our Workplace Violence Prevention Plan (WPPP) has once again been found to be compliant, as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has agreed in a settlement…
Not that you’d find it the homepage of its website, but OSHA issued a large press release earlier this week announcing $193,750 in proposed penalties against the China-owned Imperial Pacific Resort Casino in Saipan for “inadequate fall protection, unsecured scaffolding, unprotected crane operation areas, unguarded machines, and failure to notify OSHA about a work-related amputation.” Citations were also…
There are a couple of stories here. Recent headlines report on an OSHA letter warning Arizona OSHA that it is following inappropriate enforcement procedures. Underlying this situation is the question of how OSHA will enforce its legal duty to ensure that OSHA state plans are “at least as effective” as the national program. The Arizona case may…
After almost four months, the Trump Administration’s OSHA has issued only two enforcement-related press releases, despite having issued well over 200 citations with penalties exceeding $40,000 — the former threshold for a press release. The more than 200 cases with penalties greater than $40,000 since January 20 are listed below. The Washington Post today describes OSHA’s failure…
Less Than Chickens In a MUST-READ article, Pro Publica’s Mike Grabell describes the plight of Case Farms poultry workers, most of whom are undocumented refugees from Guatamala. Just a sample of Grabell’s compelling article: Guatemalan immigrant, Osiel was just weeks past his 17th birthday, too young by law to work in a factory. A year…
Twenty more companies succeeded over the past week in hiding federal OSHA enforcement actions from the withering public scrutiny that press releases have traditionally provided. Since last January 18, OSHA has issued only one enforcement-related press release. As usual, for a few we have been able to get some details that might have been useful…
If OSHA won’t do it, Confined Space will. During the Obama administration, OSHA’s policy was to issue a press release for any citation greater than $40,000. Since January 20, 2017, OSHA has issued roughly 200 citations for $40,000 or above. Yesterday, OSHA issued its first — and thus far, only — enforcement press release of…
Employer in fatal Boston trench collapse did not provide safety training and basic safeguards for employees, OSHA finds Atlantic Drain Service Co. Inc. cited for 18 violations In a sharp break from Trump OSHA tradition, OSHA today issued the first enforcement-related press release of this administration, close to $1.5 million for the death of two…