US DOL finds Amazon exposed workers to unsafe conditions, ergonomic hazards at three more warehouses in Colorado, Idaho, New York
US Department of Labor finds Amazon exposed workers to unsafe conditions, ergonomic hazards at three more warehouses in Colorado, Idaho, New York OSHA cites global e-commerce company for similar safety failures at six locations
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced that its Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued citations at three more Amazon warehouses – in Aurora, Colorado; Nampa, Idaho; and Castleton, New York – for failing to keep workers safe and delivered hazard alert letters for exposing workers to ergonomic hazards.
OSHA cited the multinational e-commerce company for not providing safe workplaces in violation of the OSH Act's general duty clause. The inspections follow referrals from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York that led the agency to open inspections and find similar violations at other Amazon warehouse facilities in Florida, Illinois and New York in July 2022. OSHA later opened inspections in Aurora, Nampa and Castleton on Aug. 1, 2022.
At all six locations, OSHA investigators found Amazon exposed warehouse workers to a high risk of low back injuries and other musculoskeletal disorders. The risks they faced are related to the following:
High frequency with which employees must lift packages and other items.
Heavy weight of the items handled by workers.
Employees awkwardly twisting, bending and extending themselves to lift items.
Long hours required to complete assigned tasks.
OSHA reviewed on-site injury logs required by federal law and discovered that, in fact, Amazon warehouse workers experienced high rates of musculoskeletal disorders.
OSHA proposed $46,875 in penalties for the violations at the Aurora, Nampa and Castleton facilities.
"Amazon's operating methods are creating hazardous work conditions and processes, leading to serious worker injuries," explained Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health Doug Parker. "They need to take these injuries seriously and implement a company-wide strategy to protect their employees from these well-known and preventable hazards."
DOL cites US Postal Service with 16 violations for endangering workers
Department of Labor cites US Postal Service with 16 violations for endangering workers at 3 Tennessee facilities, proposes $350K in penalties Sanitation, electrical, improper use of forklifts among violations found
NASHVILLE, TN – The U.S. Department of Labor has found the U.S. Postal Service exposed workers to struck-by, electrical, crushing, fire and other health hazards at facilities in Columbia, Knoxville and Nashville.
As a result of three inspections, the department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited the mail carrier for five repeat, four serious and four other-than-serious violations with $350,136 in proposed penalties to address the safety and health hazards.
Specifically, OSHA found the following unsafe conditions:
A missing guard/cover on a mail processing machine exposed workers to an energized electric motor and other energized parts.
Flexible cords and power strips used in place of fixed electrical wiring, and overloaded circuits exposed workers to electrical hazards.
Employees without required training and evaluation needed to operate a powered industrial truck.
Employees not wearing seatbelts as they operated forklifts on the loading dock, which exposed them to crushed-by hazards if the forklift tipped over.
Forklifts lacked working strobe lights and back up alarms, while other forklifts needing repairs remained in service.
Backed up sewers left raw sewage on restroom floors and in work areas.
OSHA also issued a written notice to the U.S. Postal Service for having a safety incentive program that awards workers who are accident-free, as these programs can discourage workers from reporting accidents and injuries.
"The U.S. Postal Service's high operational tempo is not a reason to bypass or ignore long-established safety standards. If anything, it's a reason to place greater emphasis on ensuring its workers are protected from recognized hazards and have every opportunity to avoid potential life-altering injuries," said OSHA Area Director William Cochran in Nashville, Tennessee. "These violations are preventable and continuing to operate in this manner, while ignoring safety requirements, is a recipe for disaster."
The three facilities investigated were the Knoxville Processing and Distribution Center, the Music City Annex in Nashville and the Columbia Post Office.
Federal safety inspections at three Amazon warehouse facilities find company exposed workers to ergonomic, struck-by hazards
Federal safety inspections at three Amazon warehouse facilities find company exposed workers to ergonomic, struck-by hazards Multi-state investigation is largest enforcement effort on ergonomics
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced that its Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Amazon for failing to keep workers safe, and has issued hazard alert letters after inspections at three warehouse facilities – in Deltona, Florida; Waukegan, Illinois; and New Windsor, New York – after finding workers exposed to ergonomic hazards.
Specifically, OSHA cited the company for violations of the general duty clause in the Occupational Safety and Health Act, which requires employers to provide safe workplaces. The agency also cited the company for exposing workers at the Florida warehouse to struck-by hazards. Similar investigations at three Amazon locations in Aurora, Colorado; Nampa, Idaho; and Castleton, New York, are ongoing.
The department's actions follow referrals from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, that led the agency to open inspections at Amazon warehouses in Deltona, Waukegan, and New Windsor on July 18, 2022; and in Aurora, Nampa and Castleton on Aug. 1, 2022.
OSHA investigators found Amazon warehouse workers at high risk for lower back injuries and other musculoskeletal disorders related to the high frequency with which workers are required to lift packages and other items; the heavy weight of the items; awkward postures, such as twisting, bending and long reaches while lifting; and long hours required to complete assigned tasks. OSHA also reviewed on-site injury logs required by OSHA and discovered that Amazon warehouse workers experienced high rates of musculoskeletal disorders.
Amazon faces a total of $60,269 in proposed penalties for these violations.
"Each of these inspections found work processes that were designed for speed but not safety, and they resulted in serious worker injuries," said Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health Doug Parker. "While Amazon has developed impressive systems to make sure its customers' orders are shipped efficiently and quickly, the company has failed to show the same level of commitment to protecting the safety and well-being of its workers."
"Our hope is that the findings of our investigations inspire Amazon and other warehouses to make the safety and health of their workers a core value," Parker added.
In December 2022, OSHA cited Amazon for 14 recordkeeping violations as part of the same investigation.
Federal safety inspections at six Amazon warehouse facilities find company failed to record, report worker injuries
Federal safety inspections at six Amazon warehouse facilities find company failed to record, report worker injuries, illnesses Investigation ongoing in Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, New York
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced that its Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Amazon during inspections at six warehouse facilities in five states for failing to properly record work-related injuries and illnesses. The findings are part of an ongoing investigation.
Following referrals from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, OSHA opened inspections on July 18, 2022, at Amazon locations in Deltona, Florida; Waukegan, Illinois; and New Windsor, New York; and on Aug. 1, 2022, at locations in Aurora, Colorado; Nampa, Idaho; and Castleton, New York.
OSHA issued Amazon citations for 14 recordkeeping violations, including failing to record injuries and illnesses, misclassifying injuries and illnesses, not recording injuries and illnesses within the required time, and not providing OSHA with timely injury and illness records. Amazon faces $29,008 in proposed penalties.
"Solving health and safety problems in the workplace requires injury and illness records to be accurate and transparent," said Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health Doug Parker. "Our concern is that nothing will be done to keep an injury from recurring if it isn't even recorded in the logbook which – in a company the size of Amazon – could have significant consequences for a large number of workers."
OSHA's investigations at the six locations are ongoing. The agency issued the recordkeeping citations now to ensure they were issued within six months as federal law requires.
Inspection at Dollar General store in Columbus finds familiar hazards, $341K in penalties
Inspection at Dollar General store in Columbus finds familiar hazards, dangers as company continues to expose workers, violate federal law OSHA issues $341K in penalties after latest inspections, more than $15M since 2017
COLUMBUS, OH – When federal workplace safety inspectors opened an investigation at a Dollar General store in Columbus, they discovered violations that were all-too-familiar and the kind that has led to more than $15 million in proposed penalties since 2017 for one of the nation’s largest discount retailers.
On May 24, 2022, inspectors with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration found merchandise stacked unsafely, excessive clutter and unsanitary conditions, and unmarked emergency exits in the storeroom of a Dollar General store at 3636 Lockbourne Road. OSHA cited the store – operated by DolGen Midwest LLC – for four repeated safety violations and proposed penalties of $341,842. A 2021 inspection at a South Euclid, Ohio, store – also operated by DolGen Midwest LLC – found merchandise blocking storeroom exits.
Since 2017, OSHA has cited parent companies, Dollar General Corp. and Dolgencorp LLC for willful, repeat and serious workplace safety violations identified in more than 180 inspections nationwide. OSHA has included Dollar General Corp. in the agency’s Severe Violator Enforcement Program.
“Dollar General Corp.’s willingness to avoid its legal responsibility for the safety of its employees is difficult to understand,” said OSHA Area Director Larry Johnson in Columbus, Ohio. “Time and time again, we find the company overfilling its storerooms and allowing merchandise to block aisles and emergency exits, and be stacked high over the heads of many workers. These are conditions that endanger workers during the normal course of business and create the potential for disaster in an emergency.”
In its inspections of Dollar General stores, OSHA typically finds workers exposed to the risks of being struck by boxes of unsafely stacked or stored merchandise, unable to safely use storeroom aisles and emergency exits, and in danger of hazards caused by merchandise blocking electrical panels.
At the Columbus store, OSHA inspectors cited the company for violations related to the following hazards:
Not keeping the storeroom clean, orderly and in sanitary condition.
Not storing material safely.
Failing to use exit signs in storeroom to ensure the ability to exit safely in an emergency.
Failing to mount fire extinguishers.
Based in Goodlettsville, Tennessee, Dollar General Corp. and Dolgencorp LLC operate about 18,000 stores and 17 distribution centers in 47 states and employs more than 150,000 workers. Ranked #91 on the Fortune 100 list of companies in 2021, the publicly traded company reported $33.7 billion in sales in fiscal year 2020.
US DOL finds Pennsylvania manufacturer prioritized safety, health at one facility, while hazards at New Jersey site led to 21 violations
US Department of Labor finds Pennsylvania manufacturer prioritized safety, health at one facility, while hazards at New Jersey site led to 21 violations Regal Industrial Corp. faces $573K in penalties after Millville inspection
MILLVILLE, NJ – A Pennsylvania-based metal coatings company that enacted a comprehensive safety and health program to protect workers at its corporate headquarters failed to do the same for employees at a manufacturing facility it opened in the fall of 2021 in Millville, a federal workplace safety investigation has found.
Responding to a complaint, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration opened an investigation at Regal Industrial Corp. on April 18, 2022, and later identified 21 violations of federal workplace safety standards. Specifically, the company failed to:
Provide training on respirator use and medical evaluations to determine if employees were physically capable of wearing them.
Develop and implement a written hazard communication program.
Maintain safety data sheets onsite, and train employees on chemical hazards.
Provide fall protection and machine guarding.
Train forklift operators and certify them.
Ensure safe use of electricity in areas where flammable paints were sprayed, and to keep emergency exits unobstructed.
Establish and follow a routine schedule for floor cleaning and removal of combustible residue.
Ensure proper use of power tools.
As a result, OSHA cited Regal Industrial Corp. for five willful, 15 serious and one other-than-serious violations, and proposed $573,681 in penalties. The willful citations relate to the respirator, written hazard communication program, safety data sheet, fall protection and chemical hazard violations, and the serious and other-than-serious citations address the remaining safety violations.
Demolition company in Boston faces nearly $1.2M in fines
Demolition company in fatal Government Center garage collapse in Boston faces nearly $1.2M in fines for willfully exposing workers to hazards JDC Demolition Co. Inc. failed to train workers adequately, ignored worker’s safety concerns
BOSTON – A heavy equipment operator doing demolition on the eighth floor of the Government Center garage in downtown Boston died on March 26, 2022, when the partially demolished floor collapsed, and the 11,000-pound excavator and its operator fell 80 feet. It was the employee’s first day on the job.
An inspection by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration found that Brockton-based contractor JDC Demolition Company. Inc. failed to adequately train its workers on the demolition plan and safety management system to help them recognize and avoid unsafe conditions.
Specifically, on the morning of the collapse, another heavy equipment operator, who had started demolition on a concrete beam on an upper floor bay, told the foreman they had concerns about the floor’s safety. Despite the employee raising safety concerns to the foreman, a second employee was assigned to operate the excavator. That worker, the deceased, never received a safety briefing and was not trained to follow the engineer’s demolition plan.
OSHA also found that JDC Demolition deviated from the demolition plan by imposing unsafe loads, in the form of heavy equipment, on the partially demolished seventh, eighth and ninth floors. The demolition plan prohibited the placement of heavy equipment on partially demolished floor bays.
As a result, OSHA cited the company for eight egregious-willful violations, two serious violations and one other than serious violation of workplace safety standards and proposed a total of $1,191,292 in penalties. The willful citations address the training and loading violations; the serious and other than serious violations are regarding the inadequate accident prevention program, uncovered floor holes and insufficient recordkeeping.
Federal judge affirms US DOL finding that Colorado acute psychiatric treatment facility exposed employees
Federal judge affirms US Department of Labor finding that Colorado acute psychiatric treatment facility exposed employees to workplace violence Centennial Peaks Hospital failed to protect nurses, technicians from physical abuse
LOUISVILLE, CO – An administrative law judge in Denver has affirmed the findings of a U.S. Department of Labor workplace safety investigation that determined a Louisville acute inpatient psychiatric treatment facility exposed direct care employees – such as nurses and mental health technicians – to aggressive patients who regularly assaulted and seriously injured them.
Following an inspection related to a December 2018 complaint of workplace violence, the department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited UHS of Centennial Peaks LLC – which operates as Centennial Peaks Hospital – for exposing employees to workplace violence hazards. The 104-bed behavioral health hospital, which provides acute inpatient hospitalization, medical detoxification and intensive outpatient programs for adolescents and adults, contested the May 2019 citations to the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. The action led to a two-week trial in September 2021.
On July 14, 2022, Administrative Law Judge Patrick Augustine affirmed OSHA’s citation and found that OSHA’s proposed abatement measures were feasible and would materially reduce the workplace violence hazard. The abatement measures included the following:
Implementing a comprehensive workplace violence prevention program.
Training employees on the workplace violence prevention plan.
Providing employees with reliable communication devices, such as radios and/or personal panic alarms.
Reconfiguring the nurses’ stations to prevent patients from entering easily and assaulting staff within.
Ensuring that units are staffed adequately to handle aggressive and escalating patients more safely.
Conducting post-incident debriefings and investigations to improve future responses to situations involving aggressive patients.
The judge also affirmed OSHA’s $10,229 penalty.
“Workers at behavioral health centers are entitled to work without fear of violence from patients,” said Regional Solicitor John Rainwater in Denver. “Unfortunately, UHS of Centennial Peaks failed to meet its obligations, resulting in its employees suffering assaults and serious injuries at the hands of aggressive patients.”
This is the second favorable decision upholding workplace violence citations at a UHS-owned facility in Colorado. One case is pending after a two-week trial in Colorado Springs.
US DOL proposes more than $330K in penalties to Family Dollar Stores Inc
US Department of Labor proposes more than $330K in penalties to Family Dollar Stores Inc. for workplace safety failures Attempt to stop shoplifter at Orlando location leads to employee's death
ORLANDO, FL – The U.S. Department of Labor has proposed $330,446 in penalties to a Family Dollar store in Orlando after an investigation into a fatal shoplifting incident uncovered willful and repeat safety violations.
On Dec. 11, 2021, shortly after struggling with a shoplifter in a failed effort to prevent their escape with merchandise, a 41-year-old store employee experienced shortness of breath and nausea. An assistant manager called 911, but the employee later died at a local hospital.
Following its investigation of this incident, the department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited Family Dollar Stores Inc. for entrapment hazards and issued a hazard alert letter for exposing employees to hazardous conditions associated with workplace violence. OSHA urged the company to develop and train employees on proper procedures in case of a robbery or shoplifting incident, and to provide a means for workers to request immediate assistance from the local police department or alarm company.
OSHA cited the national discount retailer for a willful violation for keeping an emergency exit door locked with a single key held by management. The agency also issued citations for two repeat violations for failing to keep an unobstructed pathway for workers to walk through, and for allowing aisles to remain obstructed by carts and merchandise boxes.
"Family Dollar has shown time and again that their priority is profits, not their employees. Our inspection revealed multiple unsafe conditions that management should have addressed, including locked doors and blocked exits," said OSHA Area Office Director Sarah Carle in Orlando, Florida. "Tragically, someone lost their life as a result of an altercation. Incidents such as this can be averted when workers are trained on a violence prevention program that empowers them to recognize and avoid risks on the job."
Family Dollar Stores have a long history of OSHA investigations at locations nationwide. The retailer is owned by Dollar Tree Inc., headquartered in Chesapeake, Virginia, and has more than 193,000 employees.
US DOL proposes $315K more in fines for Ohio vehicle parts manufacturer
US Department of Labor proposes $315K more in fines for Ohio vehicle parts
manufacturer that continues to expose workers to dangerous machine hazards
General Aluminum Mfg. Co.'s Conneaut plant inspected under Severe Violator Program
CONNEAUT, OH – An Ohio aluminum vehicle parts manufacturer cited for safety and health violations after a worker in Ravenna suffered fatal injuries in March 2021, continues to put workers at risk.
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration found General Aluminum Mfg. Co.'s facility in Conneaut exposing workers to similar machine hazards when the agency served warrants on Jan. 3, 2022, and opened an inspection under its Severe Violator Enforcement Program.
Inspectors found tilt mold devices, sand core machines, and indexing tables at the plant lacked adequate machine guarding and workers performed service and maintenance tasks on industrial machinery without using energy control procedures – commonly known as lockout/tagout – exposing workers to amputation and caught-in hazards. OSHA cited the company for the same violations at the Ravenna facility.
OSHA cited General Aluminum Mfg. Co. for two repeat, four serious and two other than serious violations, and assessed $315,952 in proposed penalties following the Conneaut inspection.
"General Aluminum's continued failure to protect its workers is unacceptable, and its refusal to follow industry safety standards and the company's policies and procedures to prevent injuries or fatalities is incomprehensible," said OSHA Regional Administrator William Donovan in Chicago. "While the company pledges to improve its safety procedures and training, federal safety inspectors continue to find a lack of accountability by this employer."
In September 2021, OSHA cited the company for 38 violations with $1,671,738 in proposed penalties after an investigation into the March fatality. The company has contested those citations.
"OSHA will continue to take necessary steps to hold General Aluminum accountable for failing to comply with safety and health requirements until the company takes action and demonstrates it is serious about preventing debilitating injuries and saving lives," Donovan added.
In addition to the absence of guarding on the mold machinery, OSHA identified problems with machine guarding and a lack of protective procedures throughout the Conneaut facility. Inspectors also found General Aluminum provided workers with insufficient personal protective equipment, including face shields and aprons, and exposed workers to electrical hazards.
Company management signed formal settlement agreements to resolve OSHA citations for machine guarding and lockout/tagout violations found during inspections conducted between 2015 and 2017 and hired a third-party consultant to conduct comprehensive machine guarding and lockout/tagout audits between 2017 and 2019. The audits identified specific machine guarding and lockout/tagout program deficiencies and provided recommendations the company failed to fully implement.
Founded in 1943, General Aluminum Mfg. Co. produces engineered automotive castings. The company employs about 1,200 workers nationwide and 180 employees at the Conneaut location. Owned by Park Ohio Holdings Corp. in Cleveland, the company also has locations in Ravenna and Wapakoneta, and in Freemont and Huntington, Indiana.
Texas hotel operator agrees to pay back wages, damages to worker fired after reporting unsafe work conditions
Texas hotel operator agrees to pay back wages, damages to worker fired after reporting unsafe work conditions, seeking medical help. All Seasons Hospitality and Investments LLC, owner will pay $7,450 to whistleblower
HOUSTON – All Seasons Hospitality and Investments LLC and owner Tanvir Shahmohd, operator of a Houston-area hotel, has agreed to pay an employee back wages and damages following a U.S. Department of Labor whistleblower investigation.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigated a January 2019 incident in which the employee told the employer their concerns about carbon monoxide exposure in the workplace. The employee also told the employer they felt ill and requested medical attention, but the employer refused to call an ambulance. The employee was terminated after they went to the hospital.
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas signed a consent judgment on Nov. 5 in which the company and owner will pay $3,750 in back wages and $3,700 in compensatory damages to the former employee of Holiday Inn Express & Suites in Waller.
“All Seasons Hospitality and Investments LLC and owner Tanvir Shahmohd ignored an employee’s concerns for their health and safety,” said OSHA Regional Administrator Eric S. Harbin in Dallas. “Employees have the right to report unsafe working conditions and seek medical care without the fear of losing their job and other retaliation. Our investigation, litigation and court’s decision upheld these protections.”
In addition to back wages and damages, the court prohibits the employer from violating provisions of Section 11(c) and requires the company to provide a neutral work reference. The company must also distribute the OSHA fact sheet, Filing Whistleblower Complaints under Section 11(c) of the OSH Act of 1970, to all current and future employees hired through October 2023.
“When employers retaliate against their workers for seeking necessary medical treatment, the U.S. Department of Labor will work vigorously to secure the appropriate legal redress for workers,” said Dallas Regional Solicitor of Labor John Rainwater. “The department is dedicated to ensuring safe and healthful working conditions as the Occupational Safety and Health Act requires.”
US Department of Labor proposes $38,620 in fines for Illinois healthcare facility where workers were not fully protected from coronavirus
US Department of Labor proposes $38,620 in fines for Illinois healthcare facility where workers were not fully protected from coronavirus hazards. Follow-up inspection determines respiratory protection improperly used
BYRON, IL – An inspection at a Byron rehabilitation and post-acute care facility found the healthcare facility did not comply with federal respiratory protection requirements in the facility’s quarantine area and failed to protect workers from coronavirus hazards.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration found that Generations at Neighbors LLC failed to implement critical elements of OSHA’s National Emphasis Program for Coronavirus and the Emergency Temporary Standard for Health Care. The Aug. 10 inspection cited four serious health violations and led OSHA to propose $38,620 in penalties.
OSHA concluded that Generations at Neighbors – operator of six similar facilities in Illinois and Indiana – did not ensure its coronavirus prevention plan included policies and procedures to minimize the risk of transmission for each employee. The agency found the healthcare facility failed to ensure proper use of respiratory protection, conduct thorough hazard assessments, maintain social distancing and physical barriers, and determine employees’ vaccination status.
“Improper use of respirators in a healthcare facility where an outbreak of coronavirus could lead to a significant increase in the number of COVID-19 cases and potential death could have serious consequences for the health of employees,” said OSHA Area Director Jacob Scott in Naperville, Illinois. “After more than a year of fighting this pandemic, employers need to ensure every precaution is taken to minimize workers’ risk of exposure.”
Owned by Lincolnwood-based Generations Healthcare Network, Generations at Neighbors operates rehabilitation and skilled nursing facilities in Des Plaines, Elmwood Park, Matteson, Niles and Rock Island, Illinois, and in Auburn, Indiana.
US Department of Labor cites Foundation Food Group Inc. $154,674 in penalties for exposing workers to safety hazards
US Department of Labor cites Foundation Food Group Inc. $154,674 in penalties for exposing workers to safety hazards. March 11 ammonia leak happened 42 days after January incident killed 6 workers
GAINESVILLE, GA – On Jan. 28, 2021, an uncontrolled release of liquid nitrogen at a Gainesville poultry processing facility claimed the lives of six workers. Less than two months later, workers were again subjected to a chemical release at the plant, after an ammonia leak on March 11.
A U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigation identified 23 safety and health violations at the facility. OSHA cited Foundation Food Group Inc. for exposing workers to dermal and respiratory hazards associated with the potential unexpected release of anhydrous ammonia and for failing to install a system that protected employees.
In addition, OSHA found Foundation Food Group failed to:
Guard horizontal shafts on conveyors, which exposed workers to caught-in hazards.
Provide adequate training and ensure workers used locks to isolate hazardous energy while servicing conveyors.
Label electrical breakers, cover unused openings in electrical boxes, and use electrical devices as designed, which exposed workers to electrical-shock hazards.
Provide fall protection while working from equipment at heights over 4 feet.
Require employees use eye protection while working with compressed air.
Provide adequate hearing protection, testing, and training for employees exposed to high levels of noise.
Maintain drainage in areas of wet processes, exposing employees to slip hazards.
The agency proposed $154,674 in penalties.
"There is no situation where employees should be expected to risk serious injury or death, especially on the heels of a tragic incident that took the lives of six co-workers," said Acting Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health Jim Frederick. "Foundation Food Group has again flouted their responsibility to assess workplace hazards and ensure measures are taken to protect employees. This is unacceptable and OSHA will continue its mission to hold employers accountable."
Judge upholds US Department of Labor citations, $145K in penalties for Denver contractor that ignored safety requirements repeatedly
Judge upholds US Department of Labor citations, $145K in penalties for Denver contractor that ignored safety requirements repeatedly Premier Roofing LLC exposed employees, subcontractors to fall hazards
DENVER – A federal administrative law judge has upheld citations and penalties against a Denver roofing contractor for ignoring federal requirements to protect workers and subcontractors repeatedly from the risk of workplace falls – the leading cause of injury and death in the construction industry.
An administrative law judge with the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission granted the U.S. Department of Labor's request for summary judgment after an April 2019 federal safety and health inspection found Premier Roofing LLC failed to conduct site safety inspections and repeatedly exposed its employees and workers of M&M General Construction LLC, a subcontractor, to fall hazards at a large Aurora roofing project. The department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued repeat citations to both companies.
While M&M settled its penalties in 2019, Premier Roofing LLC later contested its citations to the commission. On Aug. 6, the judge affirmed Premier Roofing's serious citation for failing to conduct safety inspections and its repeat citation for lack of fall protection. The court also ordered the company to pay $145,858 in penalties that OSHA levied.
"Exposing workers to fall hazards is an all-too-common violation in the roofing industry," said OSHA Area Director Chad Vivian in Englewood, Colorado. "Premier Roofing has repeatedly put its workers at serious risk at its jobsites. Employers have a responsibility to inspect their worksites for hazards, train their employees to recognize and correct hazards, and enforce safety rules on the job."
"Although Premier had a safety program requiring employees to wear fall protection while working at heights, it still allowed its employees to work on roofs without wearing any such protection, while also ignoring numerous similar violations by its subcontractor. Contractors have an obligation to take steps to protect their workers, and those of their subcontractors. A safety program is useless if it sits on a shelf gathering dust," said U.S. Department of Labor Regional Solicitor John Rainwater in Denver.
Bergen County roofing contractor violates agreement to protect its workers, faces more than $600K in penalties
Bergen County roofing contractor violates agreement to protect its workers, faces more than $600K in penalties. Janiec Roofing Inc. ignores 2020 OSHA settlement agreement
HASBROUCK HEIGHTS, NJ – A Bergen County contractor who agreed to make safety improvements after federal safety inspections in 2019 identified nine violations with proposed penalties of $121,687 has instead violated its settlement agreement with the U.S. Department of Labor. Following inspections in 2020 and 2021, the company now faces $600,741 in penalties for 10 more violations.
On Nov. 13, 2020, Janiec Roofing Inc. of Lodi entered into a settlement agreement with the department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration after two 2019 inspections identified significant infractions related to fall protection and other safety issues. The company agreed to establish a comprehensive written safety and health program, provide training to managers and workers and create daily safety checklists to identify and remove any hazards.
OSHA’s follow-up inspection in 2021 determined that Janiec Roofing failed to comply with the agreement and continued to expose workers to dangerous safety hazards. The agency proposed an additional $180,220 in penalties and cited the company with one failure-to-abate violation for not complying with the settlement agreement terms and not submitting documentation required to show compliance.
Prior to the follow-up inspection, OSHA conducted two other inspections of Janiec Roofing as part of the agency’s Regional Emphasis Program for fall hazards in construction. In December 2020, inspectors found employees working on a residential roof project in Paramus without proper fall protection. In January 2021, OSHA visited a Janiec work site in Saddle Brook where inspectors identified unsafe use of ladders and failures to ensure that workers used head, eye and fall protection. These two inspections resulted in two willful, four repeat and three serious citations and $420,521 in penalties.
“Janiec Roofing’s failure to honor its agreement with OSHA and knowingly put workers at risk of serious injuries or worse is inexcusable,” said OSHA Area Director Lisa Levy in Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey. “Intentional disregard of federal law will not be tolerated and OSHA will not hesitate to hold employers accountable when they ignore their legal responsibility and jeopardize the well-being of their hard-working employees.”
US Department of Labor sues Pennsylvania manufacturing company
US Department of Labor sues Pennsylvania manufacturing company, owner for firing employee in retaliation for reporting safety concerns Midvale Paper Box Co., David Frank terminated worker who requested safety gloves
PLAINS TOWNSHIP, PA – The U.S. Department of Labor has filed suit against a Luzerne County paper products manufacturing company and its owner after they fired a worker for raising safety concerns and asking several times for safety gloves to operate a shredder and baler. Prior to the employee suffering injury while operating the machine, their supervisor denied multiple requests for protective equipment.
The department filed a lawsuit against Midvale Paper Box Co. Inc. and owner David Frank in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania in Scranton.
On Oct. 5, 2017, a compliance officer with the department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration conducted a safety inspection at Midvale in response to a complaint alleging – among other things – that the company failed to provide personal protective equipment and made employees unjam machines without implementing required lockout/tagout procedures. The worker, whose hand injury occurred after the company denied the first request for safety gloves, asked twice more after the inspection but the company denied the requests.
The department alleges Midvale Paper Box Co. Inc. later terminated the worker in retaliation for multiple requests for gloves, participating in OSHA’s safety investigation and their mistaken belief that the worker filed the safety complaint that initiated the investigation.
“Employers who retaliate against workers for raising valid safety concerns are breaking the law and creating an unsafe work environment for all of their workers,” said OSHA Regional Administrator Michael Rivera in Philadelphia. “Employees have a right to a safe and healthful workplace, and must never fear that reporting their concerns will cost them their jobs.”
The company is currently contesting citations issued because of the October 2017 OSHA inspection. The agency assessed a proposed penalty of more than $200,000 for nine workplace safety violations, including one serious, two willful and six repeat violations.
The employee filed a complaint with OSHA after their firing. OSHA concurred, concluding Midvale Paper Box Co. and David Frank violated Section 11(c)(1) of the OSH Act when they terminated the employee for engaging in protected activities.
“Retaliation against employees for engaging in protected activities will not be tolerated. We have, therefore, filed the complaint to pursue any and all legal remedies available under the act,” said Regional Solicitor Oscar L. Hampton III in Philadelphia.
The department’s complaint seeks to:
Prohibit defendants, their officers, agents, servants and employees from violating the provisions of Section 11 (c) of the act.
Order defendants to reinstate and pay the complainant for all past and future lost wages that resulted from the termination.
Order defendants to post for no less than 60 days a copy of the decree entered in this case and a notice that the defendants will not discriminate against any employee for engaging in activities protected by Section 11(c) of the act.
OSHA enforces the whistleblower provisions of the OSH Act and 24 other statutes protecting employees who report violations of various airline, commercial motor carrier, consumer product, environmental, financial reform, food safety, motor vehicle safety, healthcare reform, nuclear, pipeline, public transportation agency, railroad, maritime, and securities laws. Learn more about OSHA’s whistleblower protections program.
US Department of Labor announces OSHA rule proposal to clarify handrail, stair rail system requirements
US Department of Labor announces OSHA rule proposal to clarify handrail, stair rail system requirements in general industry Walking-Working Surfaces standard
WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration is proposing updates in the handrail and stair rail system requirements for its general industry, Walking-Working Surfaces standard.
OSHA published a final rule on walking-working surfaces and personal protective equipment in November 2016 that updated requirements for slip, trip and fall hazards. The agency has received numerous questions asking when handrails are required, and about the height requirements for handrails on stairs and stair rail systems.
This proposed rule does not reopen for discussion any of the regulatory decisions made in the 2016 rulemaking. It focuses solely on clarifying some of the requirements for handrails and stair rail systems finalized in 2016, and on providing flexibility in the transition to OSHA’s newer requirements.
OSHA cites Midwest Warehouse and Distribution System Inc. $12,288 after one employee dies, 22 sickened by coronavirus
OSHA cites Midwest Warehouse and Distribution System Inc. $12,288 after one employee dies, 22 sickened by coronavirus. Naperville warehouse failed to quarantine employees, implement safety measures
NAPERVILLE, IL – A few days after employees at Midwest Warehouse and Distribution System Inc. gathered in its Naperville facility breakroom for a luncheon, some workers experienced symptoms consistent with coronavirus exposure. Employees began reporting to the company that they had tested positive for the coronavirus on Oct. 27, 2020. A U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigation alleges the company failed to take immediate steps to identify, inform, isolate and quarantine all potentially exposed employees.
By Nov. 9, 2020, 23 employees tested positive for the coronavirus, including one worker who died from complications on Nov. 4, 2020.
OSHA’s inspection found the company failed to follow its own internally developed controls for potential coronavirus exposure or take immediate steps to contain the outbreak. On Nov. 4, 2020, following discussions with the DuPage County Health Department, the facility closed. The agency has proposed a penalty of $12,288 for one serious violation of OSHA’s general duty clause.
“This case is a tragic reminder of the importance of fully implementing coronavirus prevention measures that include wearing face coverings, physically distancing and quarantining workers who exhibit symptoms to protect other workers from coronavirus exposure,” said OSHA Area Director Jake Scott in Naperville, Illinois.
Read about feasible and acceptable means of abatement for this hazard and OSHA’s COVID-19 information and resources.
On March 12, 2021, OSHA launched a national emphasis program focusing enforcement efforts on companies that put the largest number of workers at serious risk of contracting the coronavirus. The program also prioritizes employers that retaliate against workers for complaints about unsafe or unhealthy conditions, or for exercising other rights protected by federal law.
Based in Woodridge, Midwest Warehouse and Distribution System is a full-service logistics company servicing grocery, liquor and beverage, electronics, automotive and other industries. The company operates 15 warehouses nationwide.
OSHA cites Ohio production facility $119,757 for exposing employees to dangerous confined space, machine, other hazards
OSHA cites Ohio production facility Oxford’s Schneider Electric $119,757 for exposing employees to dangerous confined space, machine, other hazards.
OXFORD, OH – Without proper safety measures taken, gases and or vapors in a confined space may overcome a worker or a lack of oxygen may suffocate them. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that from 2011-2018, there were 1,030 confined space-related workers deaths.
In response to a January 2021 complaint, the department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigated Schneider Electric’s Oxford production facility and found machine operators and maintenance employees entered powder-coating ovens routinely without testing atmospheric conditions or securing natural gas lines and operating machine parts. By doing so, the employer exposed these workers to dangerous asphyxiation hazards and the potential for serious injuries or worse.
The company, which manufactures large busways used for power distribution, faces proposed penalties of $119,757. OSHA determined Schneider Electric exposed workers to multiple safety and health hazards by failing to designate the ovens as permit-required confined spaces that require specific safety procedures before entry. The employer also failed to isolate natural gas lines and mechanical energy – a process known as lockout/tagout – to the ovens during maintenance procedures. OSHA cited the company for 11 serious violations of health and safety standards.
“Confined spaces often expose workers to atmospheric and mechanical hazards,” said OSHA Area Director Ken Montgomery in Cincinnati. “OSHA has specific regulations for implementing required training and safety procedures to protect workers who must enter confined spaces, including atmospheric testing and ensuring equipment and energy sources are disabled before workers enter these spaces.”
OSHA also found the company:
Did not have an adequate respiratory protection program – including fit training and medical surveillance – for employees required to wear respirators when working with the dust collectors.
Failed to train employees on the hazards of the powder coat used on the products.
Allowed epoxy powder coat to accumulate on surfaces exposing workers to methyl imidazole, a potential skin, eye and lung irritant.
Exposed employees working on top of the ovens to fall hazards of up to 20 feet, by failing to provide fall protection.
Lacked employee training on safety and health hazards in the facility and required safety procedures.
Based in Andover, Massachusetts, Schneider Electric United States employs more than 150,000 workers nationwide and 250 at the Oxford facility.
OSHA cites Missouri auto parts manufacturer $15,604 for failing to implement, enforce coronavirus protections
OSHA cites Missouri auto parts manufacturer $15,604 for failing to implement, enforce coronavirus protections as exposure leads to press operator’s death
Federal guidance, county mandate not followed at Peterson Manufacturing’s Grandview site
GRANDVIEW, MO – Two machine operators at a Grandview auto parts manufacturer who jointly operated a press tested positive for the coronavirus just two days apart, in late August 2020. The two workers typically labored for hours at a time less than two feet apart; neither wore a protective facial mask consistently. Ten days later, two more workers operating similar presses together tested positive. On Sept. 19, 2020, one of the press operators fell victim to the virus and died.
In an investigation that followed, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited Peterson Manufacturing – operating as Maxi-Seal Harness Systems Inc. – under OSHA’s general duty clause for failing to maintain safe working conditions. At least six employees of the Grandview plant have tested positive for the virus.
The company faces one serious and one other-than-serious violation, and proposed penalties totaling $15,604. As part of the investigation, OSHA’s Office of Occupational Medicine and Nursing determined, with a reasonable degree of medical certainty, the deceased employee contracted the virus while on the job.
“Maxi-Seal Harness Systems failed to fully implement and enforce the use of feasible controls for employees to prevent the spread of coronavirus,” said OSHA Area Director Karena Lorek in Kansas City. “We found that the company failed to implement use of face masks and social distancing properly throughout the workplace until after the death of an employee.”
OSHA has established coronavirus guidelines and resources for keeping workers safe and healthy on the job.
OSHA Announces $3,697,121 in Coronavirus Violations
OSHA Announces $3,697,121 in Coronavirus Violations
Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic through Dec. 17, 2020, OSHA has issued citations arising from 278 inspections for violations relating to coronavirus, resulting in proposed penalties totaling $3,697,121.
OSHA Announces $3,301,932 In Coronavirus Violations
OSHA Announces $3,301,932 in Coronavirus Violations
WASHINGTON, DC – Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic through Nov. 19, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued citations arising from 244 inspections for violations relating to coronavirus, resulting in proposed penalties totaling $3,301,932.
OSHA Announces $2,025,431 In Coronavirus Violations
OSHA Announces $2,025,431 In Coronavirus Violations
WASHINGTON, DC – Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic through Oct. 22, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited 144 establishments for violations relating to coronavirus, resulting in proposed penalties totaling $2,025,431.
OSHA inspections have resulted in the agency citing employers for violations, including failures to:
Implement a written respiratory protection program;
Provide a medical evaluation, respirator fit test, training on the proper use of a respirator and personal protective equipment;
Report an injury, illness or fatality;
Record an injury or illness on OSHA recordkeeping forms; and
Comply with the General Duty Clause of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970
OSHA has already announced citations relating to COVID-19 to 112 establishments.
OSHA Fines Massachusetts Dental Practice $9,500 for failing to fully implement Workplace Respiratory Protections
OSHA Cites Alabama Lumber and Flooring Manufacturer $218,192 after Employee Fatality at Selma Facility
U.S. DOL Cites South Carolina Shipyard $37,591 after Employee Suffers Fatal Injuries at Worksite
OSHA Fines Florida Glass Fabrication and Distribution Company $121,446 for Safety Hazards
U.S. Department of Labor Cites Georgia Contractor $183,127 Following Worker Fatality
OSHA cites New Jersey Manufacturer $151,329 for Safety Lapse Again After Employee Amputation
OSHA cited New Jersey Manufacturer for safety lapse after employee amputation.
OSHA cites Assura Windows and Doors LLC $162,688 for amputation
OSHA cited Florida Manufacturer for amputation and other safety and health hazards.
OSHA Cites Dollar Tree Stores Inc. $523,745 for Exposing Employees to Fire Hazards
Dollar Tree Stores Inc. was cited by OSHA for exposing employees to fire hazards.
OSHA Cites R&R Contracting Services $52,626 for Multiple Hazards Following Workplace Fatality
OSHA cited R&R Contracting Services for multiple hazards following a workplace fatality.
OSHA cites Georgia Mulch Manufacturer $148,867 for Exposing Employees to Amputation
OSHA cites NJ Aluminum Manufacturer $169,524 for Safety Failures after Employee Hospitalized
Philadelphia Refinery cited $132,600 for Process Safety Management Hazards
Department of Labor Cited Georgia Tire Distribution Center for workplace hazards
The Department of Labor Cited Georgia Tire Distribution Center for fall and other workplace hazards
OSHA cited Mavis Southeast LLC, operating as Mavis Discount Tire, for exposing employees to fall, struck-by and other hazards at the company’s distribution facility in Buford, Georgia. The company faces $191,895 in penalties.
OSHA Cites UPS Incorporated for Exposing Employees to Hazards
U.S. Department of Labor Cites UPS Incorporated for Exposing Employees to Fire and ther hazards
OSHA cited United Parcel Service Inc. for exposing employees to multiple hazards including exit access, fire and electrical at the shipping and delivery facility in Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts. The company faces $431,517 in penalties for four repeated and seven serious safety violations.
OSHA fines Dollar Tree Stores Inc. for Exposing Employees to Hazards
DOL fines Dollar Tree Stores Inc. for Exposing Employees to Exit and Storage Hazards
OSHA has cited Dollar Tree Stores Incorporated for exit and storage hazards at a store in Bloomfield, Connecticut. The national discount retailer faces $208,384 in penalties.
OSHA Fines Maine Roofing Contractor for Repeatedly Endangering Employees
The United States Department of Labor Cites, Fines Maine Roofing Contractor for Repeatedly Endangering Employees
In Augusta, Maine, the US DOL, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, has cited the owner of Purvis Home Improvement Company, Incorporated for willful, repeat and serious workplace safety violations at a jobsite in Springvale, Maine. The roofing contractor faces a total of $278,456 in new penalties.
OSHA Cites Utility Pole Company $18,564 in Heat-Related Fatality
OSHA Fines Texas Company $301,188 After Fatality
OSHA Cites Missouri Food Flavoring Manufacturer $223,525 for Workplace Safety Violations After Fatality
OSHA Fines Mississippi Manufacturer $53,040 for Exposing Employees to Safety Hazards
US DOL Fines New York Contractor $168,772 for Health and Safety Hazards
US DOL Fines Colorado Homebuilder $132,598 for Hazards
The Department of Labor Cites Commercial Roofing Contractor $220,249
In Lake Barrington, IL, cited Five Star Roofing Systems Incorporated which is based in Hartford City, Indiana, for exposing employees to fall hazards while performing roofing work at a commercial building site in Lake Barrington, Illinois.
OSHA inspectors cited the company for willful, repeated, and serious safety violations for failing to provide head, eye, face and fall protection and for failing to designate a safety monitor.
“This company has violated required safety standards repeatedly and placed employees at risk for serious injuries,” said OSHA’s Chicago North Area Director Angeline Loftus. “Employers must develop and implement safety procedures on every jobsite to ensure that employees are protected from falls and other workplace safety hazards.”
United States Department of Labor Cites New York Frozen Foods Packager $200,791
In Buffalo, NY, Arbre Group Holding dba Holli-Pac Incorporated was cited for willful and serious violations of workplace health and safety standards at its facility.
OSHA inspectors found the company exposed employees to laceration and amputation hazards related to a package filler machine. OSHA also cited the company for failing to train employees on hazardous chemicals in the workplace and ensure employees wore appropriate eye and face protection.
“Employers that do not comply with the law will see full and fair enforcement,” said OSHA’s Buffalo Area Director Michael Scime. “Maintaining a safe workplace involves employers regularly conducting analyses to find and fix hazards, and training workers to recognize those hazards before they cause injury or illness.”
The United States Department of Labor Fines South Jersey Wholesale Produce Supplier $236,089
In pleasantville, NJ, Paris Produce Incorporated faces fines for failing to correct workplace hazards identified during a previous investigation at the wholesale supplier’s facility.
OSHA initiated a follow-up inspection after Paris Produce Incorporated failed to respond to citations previously issued. During the follow-up visit, OSHA inspectors found two failure-to-abate violations for allowing employees to operate forklifts without proper training, and failing to develop and implement a hazard communication program for employees using chemicals for cleaning and sanitation.
“By failing to fix previously cited hazards, Paris Produce continues to expose employees to preventable workplace safety and health hazards, which is unacceptable,” said OSHA Area Director Paula Dixon-Roderick, in Marlton, New Jersey.
US DOL fines Norcross, GA Transit Service Provider $188,714
In Norcross, GA, Transdev Services Incorporated faces penalties in the form of fines for exposing employees at a Norcross, Georgia worksite to safety and health hazards.
OSHA cited Transdev Services for obstructing access to emergency eyewash and shower stations designed to minimize the effects of employee exposure to corrosive chemicals. OSHA also cited the company for failing to ensure to label hazardous chemicals; provide training on hazardous chemicals and incipient stage firefighting and fire extinguisher use.
“Employers have a legal duty to continuously identify and eliminate safety and health hazards at their work sites,” said OSHA Atlanta-East Area Director William Fulcher. “OSHA’s safety and health standards are in place to ensure that employees can make it home to their families after work each day.”
The U.S. Dept. of Labor Investigation Fines Oklahoma Manufacturer $187,533
In Pryor, OK, HE&M Incorporated, a Pryor, Oklahoma-based metalworking band saw manufacturer, was fined by OSHA for exposing employees to fall, machine guarding, struck-by, and electrical hazards.
OSHA initiated a safety inspection of the facility after the company submitted OSHA 300A injury and illness information that showed a higher-than-average injury rate. The inspection identified 19 serious violations and one other-than-serious violation.
“Employers are legally obligated to address hazards immediately, as well as identify and correct injury hazards in their facility,” said OSHA Area Director Steven Kirby, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
The U.S. Dept of Labor Cites Georgia Distributor $125,466
In Lawrenceville, GA, Woodgrain Millwork Company has been fined $125,466 for exposing employees to chemical and struck-by hazards at the company’s distribution facility.
OSHA cited the wood molding, window, and door distributor for failing to provide employees with eye, face and hand protection to prevent exposure to chemical injuries, and provide a functioning eyewash station for employees handling corrosive chemicals.
“An employer’s obligation to provide a safe workplace includes supplying workers with personal protective equipment to protect them from identified hazards,” said OSHA Atlanta-East Area Director William Fulcher. “Employers are required to correct hazards before they cause injury or illness.”
The United States Dept. of Labor Cites Alabama Auto Parts Manufacturer along with Staffing Agencies $145,438
In Auburn Alabama, automobile parts manufacturer Donghee Alabama LLC and also 2 staffing agencies (J & C Enterprise LLC and Jian Enterprise LLC) collectively received fines of $145,438 for exposing employees to safety hazards.
Donghee Alabama LLC was cited for willfully exposing employees to caught-in and crushed-by hazards by requiring them to operate machines with non-functioning safety laser scanners. The scanners are designed to prevent employees from placing their bodies inside dangerous zones during the operating cycle.
"Hazards associated with the auto parts manufacturing industry are a source of serious injuries and fatalities to workers," said OSHA Acting Area Director Jose Gonzalez, in Mobile, Alabama. "Employers are required by law to comply with lockout/tagout and machine guarding standards to protect workers who operate equipment."
DOL Cites Georgia Tire Manufacturer, Contractors $523,000 for 22 Health and Safety Violations
OSHA issued 22 citations to Kumho Tire Georgia, Inc., Sae Joong Mold, Inc., and J-Brothers, Inc. from a follow-up inspection that found health and safety hazards at the tire manufacturing facility in Macon, GA. Collectively, the three companies are facing $523,895 in fines.
J-Brothers Inc. was cited for exposing employees to smoke inhalation and burn hazards by failing to mount portable fire extinguishers and failing to perform annual maintenance on fire extinguishers.
“Potential workplace hazards must be assessed and eliminated to ensure a safe work environment,” said OSHA Atlanta-East Area Director William Fulcher. “This employer exposed workers to multiple safety and health deficiencies that put them at risk for serious or fatal injuries.”
DOL Cites Texas Rubber Company $500,000 for Safety Violations
OSHA cited Custom Rubber Products LLC, operating in Houston, Texas, for not properly guarding machinery and exposing employees to severe injury. The company is facing $530,392 in fines which is the maximum penalty allowed by law.
“Employers are required to assess potential hazards, and make necessary corrections to ensure a safe workplace,” said OSHA’s Acting Regional Administrator in Dallas Eric S. Harbin. “The inspection results demonstrate workplace deficiencies existed putting workers at serious risk of injury.”
DOL Cites Texas Plant $615,000 for exposing workers to Highly Hazardous Chemicals
OSHA cited 7 S Packing LLC, doing business as Texas Packing Company in San Angelo, Texas, for exposing workers to hazardous chemicals. The company is facing $615,640 in fines.
OSHA found the meat-packing facility did not implement the required Process Safety Management (PSM) program to operate an ammonia refrigeration unit containing over 10,000 lbs. of anhydrous ammonia. The employer also failed to:
-Provide fall protection, guard machines and equipment
-Control hazardous energy
-Implement a respiratory protection program.
OSHA finds Texas Storage Tank Manufacturing Facility $281,000 for exposing employees to serious workplace hazards
The US DOL Investigation found that the Fort Worth, Texas Storage Tank Manufacturing facility exposed employees toserious workplace hazards and has fined Molding Acquisition Corporation, doing business as Rotoplas, $281,108. OSHA cited the Merced, CA based manufacturer of polyethylene storage tanks for 10 serious and two willful violations for exposing employees to fall hazards and also for not:
-Inspecting cranes
-Providing employees with forklift training
-Implement lockout/tagout procedures to prevent amputations.
DOL Cites Plastics Manufacturer $159,118
The US Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Heritage Plastics Incorporated for exposing employees to amputations at the company’s facility in Picayune, Mississippi.
An employee suffered the amputation of four fingers when the mixing machine from which the employee was removing material unexpectedly started. OSHA inspectors determined that Heritage Plastics failed to require the use of a lockout device and train employees on procedures to control the release of hazardous energy. OSHA also cited the employer for failing to install machine guarding. The inspection is part of OSHA’s National Emphasis Program on Amputations.”
“Proper safety procedures, including the effective lockout of all sources of energy, could have prevented this employee’s serious injury,” said OSHA Jackson Area Office Director Courtney Bohannon. “Employers must take proactive steps to develop and implement energy control procedures to minimize risk to their employees.”
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OSHA Cites Southern New Jersey Contractor $440,000
The U.S. Department of Labor Cites Southern New Jersey Contractor $440,000 for Disregarding Fall Protection Requirements
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Brutus Construction Inc. for exposing employees to fall and other safety hazards at a worksite in Souderton, Pennsylvania. The company faces $181,699 in penalties.
An OSHA inspector observed employees working without fall protection on roofs at a residential construction site. OSHA cited Brutus Construction Inc. for willfully exposing employees to fall hazards, repeat safety hazards, and failure to provide fall protection training.
“Companies that fail to meet basic fall protection requirements place employees’ lives at risk,” said OSHA Allentown Area Director Jean Kulp.
OSHA Cites Georgia Battery Manufacturer $115,594 for Safety Hazards
The DOL cites Georgia Battery manufacturer $115,594 for Safety Hazards.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited United Stated Battery Manufacturing Company for exposing employees to unguarded machinery, lead and other safety hazards at its Augusta Georgia facility.
OSHA cited the manufacturer for failing to record on OSHAs 300 log that it medically removed the employees from exposure, exposing employees to lead exceeding the permissible exposure limit and arsenic above the action level. The company failed to properly guard equipment. conduct training and implement a medical surveillance program.
“Elevated lead levels can cause debilitating and permanent health issues,” said OSHA Atlanta-East Area Director William Fulcher. “OSHA’s lead standard requires employers to minimize workers’ exposure by using measures including engineering controls, safe work practices, and providing protective clothing and equipment.”
OSHA Cites Texas Indoor Gun Range $214,387
The US Department of Labor Cites Texas Indoor Gun Range $214,387 for Exposing Employees to Unsafe Lead Levels
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited Tap Rack Bang Indoor Shooting Range, LLC operating as The Gun Range for exposing employees to unsafe levels of lead at its location in Killeen Texas.
OSHA investigated the shooting range in August 2018 after receiving a complaint of worker exposure to lead during firing range activities. Inspectors found airborne lead exceeding the permissible exposure limit, and lead contamination on surfaces throughout the facility. OSHA cited the company for failing to replace damaged personal protective equipment, and medically monitor employees for lead-related illnesses; and for sweeping up lead debris rather than using vacuum methods with high-efficiency particulate air filters.
OSHA Cites United States Postal Service $149,664
The U.S. Department of Labor Cites United States Postal Service $149,664 after Heat-Related Worker Fatality in Southern California.
US DOL’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited the US Postal Service USPS for a repeated violation of OSHA’s General Duty Clause following the heat-related death of a Southern California mail carrier at Woodland Hills Post Office.
The employee suffered hyperthermia when delivering mail in July of 2018 when the outdoor temperature reached 117 degrees. The general duty violation addresses USPS’s programs and procedures for employees working in high heat environments. The USPS was also cited for a repeated violation of recordkeeping requirements related to recording heat stress incidents.
“The U.S. Postal Service knows the dangers of working in high-heat conditions and is required to address employee safety in these circumstances,” said OSHA Oakland Area Office Director Amber Rose. “USPS is responsible for establishing work practices to protect mail carriers who work outdoors from the hazards of extreme temperatures.”
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OSHA Cites Missouri Demolition Company $23,280
The U.S. Department of Labor Cites Missouri Demolition Company $23,280
U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited World Wrecking and Scrap Salvage Services Incorporated for not providing fall protection after two employees suffer fatal injuries at a demolition site in St. Louis Missouri.
The employees were cutting pipes while working from a suspended scaffold when the scaffold collapsed. OSHA inspectors found that the company failed to ensure that employees used a vertical life line and other fall protection, adequately train workers to recognize and avoid fall hazards and properly ground an electric motor used on the scaffold and conduct regular inspections of the scaffold equipment.
“Providing fall protection for employees working at heights is not optional and can prevent tragedies,” said St. Louis Area Office Director Bill McDonald.
OSHA Cites Two Florida Roofing Contractors $129,336
The US Department of Labor Cites Two Florida Roofing Contractors $129,336 for Exposing Employees to Fall Hazards
The United States DOL’s cited Derek Williams operating as Elo Restoration Incorporated and Travis Slaughter operating as Florida Roofing Experts Incorporated for exposing employees to fall hazards at a St. Augustine, Florida worksite.
OSHA Cites Alabama Company $25,868 for Protective Equipment Violations
The U.S. Department of Labor Cites Alabama Company $25,868 for Protective Equipment Violations
United States Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited Beverly Ohio based Globe Metallurgical Incorporated for personal protective equipment violations after an employee suffered fatal injuries at a facility in Selma, Alabama.
OSHA inspectors determined that the employee suffered fatal burns after an explosion from a molten silicon spill. OSHA cited the company for failing to ensure employees used personal protective equipment, inspect and maintain the safety of walking & working surfaces and for failing to assess work operations to determine the types of personal protective equipment needed.
OSHA cites Georgia Peanut Processing Facility $309,505
The U.S. Department of Labor Cited Georgia Peanut Processing Facility $309,505
In Leesburg, Georgia, the United Stated DOL’s OSHA cited Great Southern Peanut LLC for health and safety violations after conducting a follow-up inspection as part of a formal settlement.
OSHA cited the company for failing to train employees on confined space hazards, develop & implement procedures for confined space entry, meet recordkeeping requirements and reduce compressed air to the required level.
“This employer failed to adhere to the terms of a formal agreement to correct workplace hazards identified in a previous inspection, continuing to put employees at risk of serious injury,” said OSHA Savannah Area Office Director Margo Westmoreland.
OSHA Cites Dallas Texas Dollar Tree Store $129,336 for Exposing Employees to Safety Hazards
United State Department of Labor Cites Dallas Texas Dollar Tree Store $129,336 for Exposing Employees to Safety Hazards.
The United States Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited Dollar Tree Stores Incorporated for exposing workers to fire, smoke and other hazards at one of their Dallas locations.
The store was inspected by OSHA after it received a referral by a whistleblower investigator claiming unsafe working conditions. OSHA cited the company for one willful violation for locking an emergency exit. The Agency and the company reached a corporate-wide settlement agreement to address unsafe conditions found at several stores in 2015.
“Locked emergency exits prevent quick evacuation in an emergency, needlessly placing employees at risk for serious harm,” said OSHA Dallas Area Director Basil Singh.
OSHA Cites Alabama Auto Parts Manufacturer $47,857 for Exposing Employees to Safety Hazards
United States Department of Labor Cites Alabama Auto Parts Manufacturer $47,857 for Exposing Employees to Safety Hazards
OSHA has cited the auto parts manufacturer Arkal Automotive USA Incorporated for exposing workers to electrical and amputation hazards.
OSHA responded to a complaint about employees not being properly protected when entering injection molding machines. OSHA cited the employer for exposing employees to hazardous energy, inadequate machine guarding, failing to implement lockout tagout procedures when machine maintenance and servicing and failing to implement safety procedures for entering a robotic cage.
“Moving machine parts have the potential to cause severe injuries when they are not properly guarded and safety procedures are absent,” said OSHA Mobile Area Office Director Joseph Roesler. “Arkal Automotive USA Inc. failed to identify and correct hazards to ensure the safety and health of their employees.”
OSHA Cites Colorado Chemical Manufacturer $64,857
United States Department of Labor Cites a Colorado Chemical Manufacturer $64,857.
OSHA cited Greeley, Colorado based EnviroTech Services Incorporated after an employee died from a to lack of oxygen when cleaning the inside of a railcar. A second employee that tried to rescue the co-worker was also overcome but survived.
DOL's OSHA cited the chemical manufacturer for failing to have an emergency rescue plan in place, provide respiratory protection, implement a permit required confined space program and for failing to properly ventilate a confined space.
“This fatality could have been prevented if the employer had complied with confined space requirements and provided protective equipment,” said Herb Gibson, OSHA Denver Area Office Director.
OSHA Cites Florida Health Facility $71,137
The Department of Labor Cites Florida Health Facility $71,137 for Exposing Employees to Workplace Violence
US DOLs OSHA cites the operators of Bradenton based Suncoast Behavioral Health Center (Premier Behavioral Health Solutions of Florida Incorporated and UHS of Delaware Incorporated) for failing to protect employees from violence in the workplace.
OSHA responded to a complaint that employees were not adequately protected from violent mental health patients. OSHA cited Premier Behavioral Health Solutions of Florida Incorporated and UHS of Delaware Incorporated who are subsidiaries of Universal Health Services Incorporated, for failing to institute controls to prevent patients from verbal and physical threats of assault including kicks, bites and punches and also from using objects as weapons.
“This citation reflects a failure to effectively address numerous incidents over the past two years resulting in serious injuries to employees of the facility,” said Les Grove, OSHA Tampa Area Office Director.
DOL Orders California Company to Pay $110,000
United States Department of Labor Orders California Company to Pay $110,000 to Manager Who Reported Concerns Regarding E-Cigarette Ingredients
In San Francisco, California, the United Stated Dept. of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration ordered Mr. Good Vape LLC of Chino, Ca to reinstate a former manager and pay him $110,000 in compensation after he was fired for claiming the company’s production of flavored liquids for e-cigarette vapor inhalers violated federal environmental law.
OSHA Cites Kraft Heinz Food $109,939
The U.S. Department of Labor Cites Kraft Heinz Food $109,939 after Employee Injured by machine.
OSHA cited Kraft Heinz Foods Company for machine safety violations after an employee suffered a partial finger amputation when clearing a machine jam at the company’s Mason facility.
OSHA inspectors found that Kraft Heinz Foods Company failed to train employees on the use of energy control procedures, implement energy control procedures to prevent equipment from unintentionally starting and for failing to install adequate machine guards and energy isolation devices.
OSHA Cites Colorado Nursing Home $9,054
The U.S. Department of Labor Cites Colorado Nursing Home $9,054 for Workplace Violence Hazards
OSHA has cited Pioneer Health Care Center of Rocky Ford for not protecting employees from violence in the workplace.
OSHA opened an investigation at Pioneer Health Care Center in response to two complaints related to workplace violence received back in August of 2017. OSHA subsequently identified five documented incidents of workplace violence in 2017 that resulted in employee injuries along with many unreported incidents. OSHA had issued one serious citation for failing to implement adequate measures to protect employees from workplace violence hazards
“Employers are responsible for providing employees a safe and healthy workplace,” said OSHA’s Englewood Area Director David Nelson. “Pioneer Health Care Center must understand that their employees’ safety is important.”
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OSHA Cites Construction Company $59,864
UNited States Department of Labor Cites Construction Company $59,864 for Exposing Employees to Hazards and Proposes $59,864 in Penalties
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited Action Concrete Construction Incorporated for exposing its employees to fall hazards and eye injuries.
During its investigation of the company’s Panama City Beach worksite, OSHA inspectors found 1 willful violation for failing to install guardrails or use personal fall arrest systems while employees worked at a height of eleven feet. OSHA also cited the company for allowing employees to use a pneumatic air gun without proper eye protection.
OSHA Cites Three Companies $220,497
United States Department of Labor Cites Three Companies $220,497 for Exposing Employees to Lead and other Hazards during the renovation of Chicago’s Old Post Office.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited 3 Chicago Illinois area companies that worked on renovating Chicago’s Old Post Office for not protecting their employees from lead and cadmium exposure.
OSHA found that Tecnica Environments Services Incorporated, American Demolition Corporation and Valor Technologies Incorporated did not provide training, comply with OSHA’s respiratory protection, and did not properly handle personal protective equipment.
OSHA Cites Three Queens Supermarkets $505,929 for Safety Violations
United States Department of Labor Cites Three Queens Supermarkets $505,929 for Safety Violations
Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited Trade Fair Supermarkets for exposing employees to health and safety hazards at 3 of its locations in Queens, New York.
OSHA’s Queens District Office inspected supermarkets in Jackson Heights and Astoria. Inspectors found saw blades without safety guards, blocked exit routes, and a lack of eyewash stations needed in case of exposure to corrosive substances. The company did not train employees on hazardous chemicals used in the stores.
“The recurrence and pattern of these violations is troubling,” said OSHA Area Director Kay Gee, who oversees Queens, Manhattan, and Brooklyn. “These grocery stores must focus on safety and make it a priority.”
OSHA Cites Pittsburgh Contractor $201,354
OSHA Cites Pittsburgh Contractor $201,354 after Hazards Lead to Fatal Electrocution
United States Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited a Pittsburgh masonry contractor for exposing workers to serious dangers including fall and electrical hazards after an employee is fatally electrocuted.
OSHA conducted an investigation of Ski Masonry LLC on April 20, 2017 after a 21-year-old laborer doing restoration work at a Pittsburgh residence was electrocuted. The residential and commercial masonry contractor received 2 willful and 5 serious citations for violations, including knowingly allowing employees to work within 10 feet of overhead, energized, and uninsulated electrical lines, failing to provide fall protection, and using scaffolding without a secure base plate.
OSHA Cites Chicago Container Manufacturer $503,380
OSHA Cites Chicago Container Manufacturer $503,380 after 4 Workers Suffer Injuries
A Chicago manufacturer of rigid metal, plastic, and hybrid containers faces $503,380 in proposed penalties after inspectors from the United States Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration responded to four separate reports of workers suffering injuries at the facility.
As a result of its investigations, OSHA cited BWAY Corporation for five repeated and five serious safety violations of machine safety procedures, and placed the company in its Severe Violator Enforcement Program. In the past five years, 15 workers suffered amputations at the Chicago plant.
“Lack of machine safety guards and procedures contribute to multiple employee injuries nationwide each year,” said OSHA Area Director Kathy Webb, in Chicago. “Companies must continuously monitor their facilities, and review procedures and training to ensure employees are protected from machine hazards.”
OSHA Cites South Dakota Company $95,064
OSHA Cites South Dakota Company $95,064 after Worker Buried in Trench Collapse
United States Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited First Dakota Enterprises Incorporated for failing to protect its workers from trench collapse hazards.
A 34-year-old worker was completely buried on May 23, 2017 when the walls of a 14-foot trench collapsed around him. Co-workers quickly freed the victim’s head, which allowed him to breathe while emergency personnel worked for more than 30 minutes to free him.
OSHA investigators found that First Dakota Enterprises Incorporated failed to use a trench protective system or conduct regular site inspections to correct potentially hazardous conditions. OSHA cited the company, which was contracted by the City of Emery to replace the city’s main sewer and water lines, for two repeat and one serious safety violations.
“Trench collapses are preventable,” said OSHA Area Director Sheila Stanley in Sioux Falls. “It is critical that employers involved in excavation work review their safety procedures to ensure that employees are properly protected and trained. Had it not been for the heroic actions of these co-workers, this dangerous collapse may have ended in tragedy.”
OSHA finds machine safety hazards $610,034
OSHA finds machine safety hazards $610,034 for silica overexposure at Ohio steel plant
Amsted Rail Company Incorporated, a manufacturer of cast steel freight components, faces $610,034 in proposed penalties after agency investigators found workers at its Groveport plant exposed to machine hazards and silica.
Ohio auto insulation manufacturer faces penalties of $569,463
Ohio auto insulation manufacturer faces penalties of $569,463 following worker injury, company cited for willful violations of machine safety procedures
An auto insulation manufacturer in suburban Toledo is facing penalties after an investigation by OSHA following a report that a machine amputated a 46-year-old worker's right hand, wrist and part of his forearm.
OSHA cited the company for the following:
-Failing to properly train workers on machine specific procedures for isolating energy sources
"This incident illustrates why companies must evaluate machine safety procedures to ensure they are adequate and effective in protecting workers from injuries on the job," said Dorothy Dougherty, deputy assistant secretary of labor for occupational safety and health. "In addition to being the law and the right thing to do, safe workplaces are an important component in supporting and sustaining job growth in America."
Wells Fargo ordered to pay about $5.4 million
"OSHA orders Wells Fargo to reinstate whistleblower fully restore lost earnings in banking industry
SAN FRANCISCO - The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has ordered Wells Fargo Bank N.A. to compensate and immediately reinstate a former bank manager who lost his job after reporting suspected fraudulent behavior to superiors and a bank ethics hotline.
The manager, who had previously received positive job performance appraisals, was abruptly dismissed from his position at a Wells Fargo branch in the Los Angeles area after he reported separate incidents of suspected bank, mail and wire fraud by two bankers under his supervision. He was told he had 90 days to find a new position at Wells Fargo, and when he was unsuccessful, he was terminated. He has been unable to find work in banking since his termination in 2010.
An OSHA investigation concluded that the former manager's whistleblower activity, which is protected under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, was at least a contributing factor in his termination. OSHA does not release names of whistleblower complainants.
In addition to reinstating the employee and clearing his personnel file, Wells Fargo has been ordered to fully compensate him for lost earnings during his time out of the banking industry. Back pay, compensatory damages, and attorneys' fees were together calculated at about $5.4 million. Wells Fargo also must post a notice informing all employees of their whistleblower protections under Sarbanes-Oxley, widely known as "SOX."
Wells Fargo can appeal the order before the department's Office of Administrative Law Judges, but such action does not stay the preliminary reinstatement order."
OSHA proposes nearly $89,000 is penalties
OSHA proposes nearly $89,000 is penalties after finding concrete manufacturer again exposed workers to airborne silica.
The United States DOL's Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued citations on January 4, 2017 for 1 repeat and 2 failure-to-abate violations.
"Our follow-up inspection found that two County Concrete employees were exposed to silica above the permissible limit as they cleaned concrete mixers. In 2013, OSHA cited this company for these same hazards," said Kris Hoffman, director of OSHA's Parsippany Area Office. "Employers must bear the responsibility of fully complying with respiratory protection requirements to protect the safety and health of their workers."
OSHA cites lumber company $260,113
Federal safety inspectors found electrical safety violations and multiple woodworking machines at a Wisconsin lumber company lacking adequate safeguards and that workers were not properly trained in isolating energy to machines to prevent contact with operating parts during set-up, servicing and maintenance.
"Despite earlier machine-related injuries, OSHA found several machines at the company lacked adequate safeguards to prevent workers from coming in contact with operating parts," said Robert Bonack, OSHA's area director in Appleton. "Menzner Lumber & Supply should immediately re-evaluate its safety and health programs and ensure their workers are properly trained."
OSHA orders J.C. Stucco and Stone fines totaling close to $344,960
OSHA orders J.C. Stucco and Stone fines totaling close to $344,960
The company has nine cited federal safety and health violations and is assessed $344,960 in fines against Lansdowne masonry contractor, J.C. Stucco and Stone. This follows a March 2016, hearing regarding six willful and three repeat citations issued after two 2014 inspections by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
The independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission adjudicates disputes between the U.S. Secretary of Labor and employers that contest OSHA violations. These disputes are heard in the first instance by an Administrative Law Judge ("ALJ") whose decisions are reviewable by the full Commission.
"J.C. Stucco has a long history of leaving workers unprotected from incidents that can cause injuries and possible death and result from falls and unsafe scaffolding," said Theresa Downs, OSHA area director in Philadelphia. "Workers should not have to risk their lives for the sake of a paycheck."
OSHA cites Ohio vehicle parts manufacturer $536,249
OSHA cites Ohio vehicle parts manufacturer Milark Industries $536,249 for not protecting its workers from machine hazards
OSHA fines roofer and home service contractor $61,731
"Failing to provide fall protection can have fatal consequences. Falls are a leading cause of death and serious injury in the construction industry," said David Nelson, OSHA's area director in Englewood. "We are determined to hold negligent employers accountable when they put their workers needlessly at-risk."
OSHA fines utility contractor $46,200
"B C Main Construction has a responsibility to ensure its employees are trained in all aspects of their duties and that the equipment they operate meets all safety standards," said Carlos Reynolds, OSHA's area director in Little Rock. "If the law had been followed, a man's life would not have been taken cruelly and his family would have been spared their grief."
OSHA cites East Hartford mattress recycler $74,520
"Employers have a responsibility to maintain safe and healthful working conditions for their employees and to promptly and effectively correct hazards so they don't recur. They should be aware that OSHA can and does follow up to verify corrective action," said Warren Simpson, OSHA's area director in Hartford. "In this instance, employees were exposed to the risk of electric shock, being caught in a shredder, chemical hazards and being unable to exit the workplace swiftly in the event of a fire or other emergency. Recyc-Mattress Corp. must correct these hazards immediately."
SHA fines Window Master Incorporated restoration company $40,000
"Over exposure to lead can cause permanent kidney, blood and reproductive damage," said Rosemarie Cole, Concord OSHA area director. "This employer needs to provide effective safeguards to correct hazards and prevent them from happening again."
OSHA fines 2 Pennsylvania contractors over $236,000
OSHA received a complaint alleging employees from both companies were working about 20 feet on a scaffold with major safety deficiencies including lack of safe access, bracing, stability and planking.
OSHA fines global manufacture $172,700
"Working on a machine without safety guards can cost someone a limb or their life," said Joann Figueroa, OSHA's area director in the Houston North office. "Alfa Laval has a responsibility to find and fix hazards in the workplace which endanger its employees. OSHA will not tolerate employers that ignore commonsense safety requirements."
Marriott Hotel faces $76,700 in OSHA Fines
Lancaster lawn care company cited $42,000
"This amputation and the incident that preceded it could have been prevented if The Ground Guys had only used the mower's protective system," said Kevin Kulp, director of OSHA's Harrisburg Office. "By ignoring this vital safeguard, the company is taking unnecessary risks with the safety of its employees, which is unacceptable."
OSHA cites Mississippi plastic manufacturer $56,340 after severe worker injuries
OSHA cites Mississippi plastic manufacturer after severe worker injuries
"Employer name: Mississippi Polymers Inc.
"This employer cannot continue to expose its employees to unguarded machinery and other serious safety hazards," said Eugene Stewart, OSHA's area director in Jackson. "Two workers were severely injured when protective guarding was available and could have prevented such incidents."
Area builder cited $162,000
Area builder cited for dangerous fall hazards twice in a month
"Don Bosco of Batavia puts workers at-risk again, OSHA proposes total fines of $162K
Twice in a month, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited a Batavia builder after an OSHA inspector saw employees working on a residential framing project without fall protection. The agency issued two willful and five serious safety citations to Don Bosco LLC on Dec. 17. Proposed penalties total $162,000.
“Don Bosco continues to ignore OSHA standards and is failing to protect its employees on the job,” said Jake Scott, OSHA’s area director in North Aurora. “OSHA will continue to monitor this employer for compliance, and do everything in its power to keep workers safely out of life-threatening working conditions.”
OSHA fines 2 Construction Company's $70,000
"Falls are preventable. Ramco failed to comply with commonsense safety practices, and that cost a worker his life. Such negligence will not be tolerated," said Joann Figueroa, OSHA's area director in the Houston North office. "It is the employer's responsibility to find and fix hazards in the workplace."
OSHA fines U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for repeated violations
Dollar General Corporation faces $169,000 in SHA Fines
"Dollar General's negligence in protecting employees from these hazards despite the number of times they have been brought to the company's attention is alarming," said Prentice Cline, OSHA's area director in Charleston. "It only takes one fire emergency for workers to get hurt or killed because of the company's faulty safety practices. These hazards need to be eliminated immediately to prevent a tragic incident from occurring."
OSHA cites Pipe insulator and staffing agency $85,950
OSHA proposes $77,000 in penalties
OSHA proposes fines of $77,000 against Metallurgical Products Incorporated for exposing employees to various mechanical, chemical, fire and explosion hazards. The hazards also included a lack of training in Personal Protective Equipment.
"To ensure the health and well-being of its employees, Metallurgical Products Inc. must address and correct these hazards immediately," said Warren Simpson, OSHA's area director in Hartford. "Employers need to be proactive about safeguarding their employees against work-related hazards. It's not just good policy, it is good business."
OSHA finds Zimmer TMT $56,000 for workers lacked training and plan to respond
PARSIPPANY, N.J. – Workers were unprepared to respond to an accidental release of dangerous chlorine gas, leading to the evacuation and emergency medical treatment for several employees at Zimmer TMT's plant in Parsippany, an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration found.
"Zimmer TMT is in the business of healthcare and should be aware of the potential health and safety hazards to which its employees could be exposed," said Kris Hoffman, director of OSHA's Parsippany Area Office. "Chlorine gas is poisonous and can cause death. Employers using highly hazardous chemicals absolutely must be prepared for emergencies, and this company clearly was not."
$66,400 is fines issues
"Exposing workers to electrical shock and other hazards yields fines of $66,400 for Troy, Texas manufacturer
Twice in 18 months, C & H Die Casting Inc. has exposed workers to safety hazards, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration found, leading the agency to cite the Troy-based company for 15 serious safety and health standards violations with proposed penalties of $66,400."
"Once again, C & H has failed to provide a workplace free from hazards that could seriously harm workers," said Casey Perkins, OSHA's area director in Austin. "Waiting until a worker has been injured or killed to find and fix these hazards is unacceptable."
OSHA cites San Antonio staffing agency and fruit processor $135,200
"Workers, whether employed directly by the company or as a temporary worker, require proper training on workplace hazards. In this case, both Fresh From Texas and iWorks failed to do so and put workers in danger," said Kelly C. Knighton, OSHA's area director in San Antonio. "Both host employers and staffing agencies have roles in complying with workplace health and safety requirements, and they share responsibility for ensuring worker safety and health."
StanChem Inc faces $55,300 in OSHA fines
Connecticut manufacturer cited by US Labor Department's OSHA for chemical hazards; StanChem Inc., faces $55,300 in fines
United States Department of Labor's OSHA cited StanChem Incorporated for 13 serious violations of workplace safety standards at its East Berlin, Connecticut manufacturing plant.
Rite Aid cited by OSHA for $83,200
Rite Aid cited by United States Labor Department's OSHA for safety hazards at Kings Highway store in Brooklyn, NY; proposed fines total $83,200
Pennsylvania drugstore chain's workers exposed to fall and laceration hazards
OSHA cited Rite Aid for repeat and serious violations of workplace safety standards at the retailer's store located at 185 Kings Highway in Brooklyn.
OSHA cites Accadia Site Contracting Incorporated $84,000
OSHA cited Accadia Site Contracting Incorporated $84,000 in fines for cave-in hazard at Niagara Falls work site.
"An unprotected excavation can turn into a grave in seconds, crushing and burying workers beneath tons of soil before they have an opportunity to react or escape," said Arthur Dube, OSHA's area director in Buffalo. "These workers were fortunate¿not lucky, because workplace safety must never be dependent on luck¿that they were not injured or killed."
"The coming of warmer weather and the accompanying thaw of the soil bring with them an increase in excavation work. Unfortunately, it also brings an increase in cave-in hazards and unsafe work practices," said Dube. "Before any employee enters an excavation to perform work, the employer must ensure that the excavation is properly safeguarded against collapse, the employees are trained to recognize and avoid cave-in hazards and all required equipment is present and properly maintained."
OSHA proposes $459,844 in fines to Panthera Painting
OSHA proposes $459,844 in fines to Panthera Painting Incorporated for exposing workers to lead and other health and safety hazards.
OSHA cited Canonsburg based Panthera Painting Incorporated with 38 alleged violations including fourteen willful and eleven repeat work sites in Slatedale, Harrisburg and Slatington. There, workers were exposed to lead and other health and safety hazards when performing abrasive repainting and blasting projects.
OSHA fines Timken Company $170,500
OSHA cited Timken Company for twelve alleged safety violations including 5 repeat after conducting a complaint inspection this past June at the steel mill in Canton where roller bearings are manufactured.
OSHA proposes $82,500 in fines to a chemical manufacturer
OSHA proposes $82,500 in fines to a chemical manufacturer for workplace health and safety hazards at Newark, New Jersey Facility.
OSHA proposes $169,000 in fines to Hartford, Connecticut contractor
OSHA proposes $169,000 in fines to Hartford, Connecticut contractor for repeatedly exposing workers to cave-in hazards
Occupational Safety and Health Administration proposed $169,000 in fines against contractor Penney Construction Company LLC in Hartford mainly for exposing its workers to cave-in hazards while repairing a sewer line in a ten foot deep trench on Park St.
OSHA fines LaBolt, SD Farmers grain company more than $95,920
OSHA fines LaBolt, SD Farmers grain company more than $95,920 for exposing workers to unsafe working conditions
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued LaBolt Farmers Grain Company, Incorporated in LaBolt, South Dakota thirteen citations for exposing workers to unsafe conditions at its grain handling facility where a worker got caught in a moving bin sweep auger & suffered severe injuries to his leg and arm. .
Lack of trained employees leads to fines issued
Three willful violations with penalties of $147,000 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.
Sep 07, 2011
OSHA has cited Gainesville Tree Service Co. of Alachua, Fla., for six safety violations carrying proposed penalties of $153,600. OSHA began an inspection after a worker suffered a serious cut to his thigh by a chain saw at a Gainesville jobsite in March.
Three willful violations with penalties of $147,000 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.
Two serious violations carrying $6,600 in penalties involve 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.
One other-than-serious citation with no monetary penalty was cited 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.
"OSHA expects employers to be proactive by providing the protective equipment needed to prevent injuries, rather than wait for an incident with severe consequences, such as this one, to occur," said Brian Sturtecky, OSHA's area director in Jacksonville.
OSHA proposes fines totaling $212,000 to Lincoln Paper & Tissue LLC
OSHA proposes fines totaling $212,000 to Lincoln Paper & Tissue LLC in Maine for recurring hazards after a worker injury
OSHA fines Mississippi furniture manufacturer $66,000
OSHA fines Mississippi furniture manufacturer United Furniture Industries Incorporated proposed penalties totaling $66,000 for serious, repeat health and safety violations.
OSHA cites McEntire's Roofing of Lincoln, Illinois $102,000
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued McEntire's Roofing Incorporated 6 citations for failing to provide fall protection for roofers working residential projects.
OSHA proposes $238,000 in fines against US Postal Service
US Labor Department's OSHA proposes $238,000 in fines against US Postal Service for electrical hazards at Shrewsbury, Massachusetts mail processing facility
Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited the U.S. Postal Service for willful and serious violations of safety standards following an inspection at the Central Massachusetts Processing and Distribution Center in Shrewsbury. The Postal Service faces $238,000 in fines mainly for exposing workers to electrical hazards.
Hospital BBP Violations
Hospitals seeing red, as in more bloodborne pathogens violations
October 12th, 2011
OSHA has hit hospitals with more and higher fines for bloodborne pathogens violations compared to last year, according to October issue of Briefings on Infection Control. The report uses data from the OSHA Office of Management System, from July 2010 through June 2011. Here is an excerpt.
OSHA has been busier this year than last year in handing out bloodborne pathogens violations to hospitals. Not only have the number of violations increased, but the average fine amount has also jumped.
Every year, HCPro’s OSHA Healthcare Advisor acquires a detailed report of citations by standard for various types of healthcare facilities from the OSHA Office of Management Systems. This year’s data covers all federal and state citations from July 2010 through June 2011.
During that time, OSHA issued 575 violations referencing the Bloodborne Pathogens standard for general medical and surgical, psychiatric, and specialty hospitals, an increase of 30% from last year.
Average OSHA fines also increased. Hospitals averaged $630 per bloodborne pathogens violation compared to last year’s average fine of $477.
OSHA fines Cooper Tire & Rubber Company $213,500 for willful, serious and repeat health and safety violations
OSHA proposes $83,650 in fines to Oneida County, New York manufacturer
US Labor Department's OSHA proposes $83,650 in fines to Oneida County, New York manufacturer for 34 alleged safety violations
US Dept. of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited The Fountainhead Group Incorporated of New York Mills 34 serious violations of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. The company that manufactures agricultural hand sprayers for consumers, faces a total of $83,650 in proposed fines after a comprehensive safety inspection that was conducted under OSHA's Site-Specific Targeting Program.
OSHA cites Smackover Arkansas refinery with $165,600 in penalties for alleged health and safety violations
US Labor Department's OSHA cites Smackover Arkansas refinery with $165,600 in penalties for alleged health and safety violations
U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued citations to Martin Operating Partnership LP for one alleged willful & 21 alleged serious violations of federal health and safety regulations.
OSHA orders Utah Transit Authority to pay over $130,000
U.S. Department of Labor's OSHA ordered the Utah Transit Authority that is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, to immediately reinstate a wrongfully discharged employee to his former position and pay over $130,000 in back wages with interest, attorney's fees and compensatory damages. OSHA recently completed an investigation and determined the Utah Transit Authority discharged the worker in violation of the whistleblower provision of the Federal Railroad Safety Act.
OSHA proposes $257,500 in fines against two employers following explosion
US Labor Department's OSHA proposes $257,500 in fines against two employers following explosion at Nashua, NH, manufacturing plant
United States Department of Labor's OSHA, which stands for Occupational Safety and Health Administration, cited Worthen Industries Incorporated, a manufacturer of adhesives and glues. S.L. Chasse Welding & Fabrication Incorporated steel erection contractor from Hudson, New Hampshire is also cited for alleged violations of workplace safety standards after an explosion on January 23rd at Worthen's manufacturing plant on East Spit Brook Rd. The combined penalties to both employers total $257,500.
Protect your employees with the required OSHA Training including Blood Borne Pathogens Training Online.
OSHA proposes $125,800 in fines against Brooklyn New York contractor
US Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration, also known as OSHA, has cited a precast concrete installation contractor, New York Plank Services LLC for allegedly willful and serious violations of safety standards after a partial building collapse in Brooklyn. The contractor faces a total of $125,800 in fines.
OSHA proposes $48,500 against Tonawanda Coke Corporation for 14 serious violations
U.S. Department of Labor's OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) proposed $48,500 in fines against Tonawanda Coke Corporation for 14 alleged violations of workplace safety and health standards at the organiations River Road plant in Tonawanda, New York where it produces a coal by-product, foundry coke. The citations address deficiencies involving the plants industrial hygiene, respiratory protection program, coke oven operations and use of PPE (personal protective equipment).
OSHA proposes $106,800 in fines against Buffalo, NY, sheet metal fabricator
OSHA proposes $55,500 in penalties against American Warming and Ventilating Inc. for safety violations
OSHA proposes $59,250 in penalties against CW Industries for willful and serious safety and health violations
February 4, 2010
OSHA proposes $59,250 in penalties against C&W Industries for willful and serious safety and health violations.
U.S. Department of Labor's OSHA is proposing $59,250 in penalties against C&W Industries in Union Springs, Alabama for health and safety violations.
OSHA started its inspection August of 2009 after receiving a complaint of a number of deficiencies at the plant including unguarded machinery that exposes workers to amputation hazards. Other complaints included insufficient training and certification for forklift operators, and deficiencies in the plants fire prevention system.
OSHA cited the company with one willful safety violation with a $38,500 penalty for failing to protect workers from caught-in and amputation hazards while cleaning, changing dies and performing maintenance on press machines. The inspection revealed the employer had failed to implement lockout tagout procedures to prevent accidental energy start-up despite being aware of its obligation to institute such a program.
"Workers should not have to risk amputations in order to earn a paycheck," said Kurt Petermeyer, director of OSHA's Mobile Area Office. "Company management was aware of the requirements to establish a lockout program and did not take action."
US Labor Department's OSHA is proposing over $135,000 in penalties against Atlanta stone countertop manufacturer
US Labor Department's OSHA is proposing $133,875 in penalties against Atlanta stone countertop manufacturer for health hazards
Atlanta Intown Granite is being cited for failing to correct previous violations.
U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration, otherwise known as OSHA, has cited Atlanta Intown Granite Company in Atlanta for continuing to expose its employees to health hazards for over a year after OSHA cited the company for similar violations.
OSHA proposes $133,875 in penalties against the company for exposing 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 on exposure to hazardous substances.
Exposure to silica can lead to silicosis, a disabling, nonreversible and potentially fatal lung disease. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health reports that each year more than 250 people die from and hundreds more are disabled by silicosis.
"Silica and noise exposure remain serious hazards to employees at work, but both hazards are 100 percent preventable if employers fully implement protection programs," said Andre Richards, director of OSHA's Atlanta-West Area Office.
OSHA proposes more than $266,000 in penalties against Tucker Georgia manufacturer
December 10, 2009
The US Department of Labor's OSHA proposes more than $266,000 in penalties against Tucker, Georgia manufacturer following worker amputations
Crespac, Inc. is cited with willful, repeat and serious health and safety violations
Crespac Inc. has been cited with 34 health and safety violations by the U.S. Department of Labor's OSHA. Proposed penalties total $266,400.
"OSHA began its comprehensive safety and health inspection after learning of two separate incidents resulting in amputations within a 30-day period," said Gei-Thae Breezley, director of OSHA's Atlanta-East Area Office. "In both instances, management knew of deficiencies but acted with plain indifference by failing to correct the problems in a timely manner that could have prevented these amputations."
OSHA is citing Crespac, Inc. Four repeat, three willful, 19 serious and one other-than-serious safety violations, and also five serious and 2 other-than-serious health violations. OSHA is proposing an additional $17,200 for the health violations in addition to the $249,200 for the safety violations.
OSHA proposes fines of $509,000 against Cranesville Aggregate
November 12, 2009
OSHA proposes fines of $509,000 against Cranesville Aggregate for significant hazards at its Scotia, New York bagging plant
Cranesville Aggregate Co. doing business as Scotia Bag Plant, Scotia in New York faces $509,000 in total of proposed fines by the DOL's Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The plant which bags cement and asphalt has been cited for 33 alleged willful, repeat and serious violations of workplace Health and safety standards following thorough OSHA inspections over the past six months.
"The significant fines proposed here reflect the breadth and gravity of hazards found at this plant, their recurring nature and this employer's knowledge," said acting Assistant Secretary for OSHA Jordan Barab.
"Workers have been needlessly exposed to potentially disabling or fatal respiratory illness, falls, crushing injuries, burns, lacerations, amputation and electrocution," added Edward Jerome, OSHA's area director in Albany. "This employer needs to take effective and ongoing corrective action to protect the health and safety of these workers."
OSHA proposes $254,000 in fines for lead hazards at Franklin, New Hampshire foundry
October 23, 2009
OSHA proposes $254,000 in fines for lead hazards at Franklin, New Hampshire foundry
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited Franklin Non-Ferrous Foundry, Inc. for 17 alleged willful, serious violations of workplace health & safety standards.
The Franklin, N.H., foundry faces $254,000 in fines after comprehensive OSHA inspections began in April.
"Chief among the hazards identified in the foundry are inadequate or absent protections for workers whose duties expose them to airborne concentrations of lead," said Rosemarie Ohar, OSHA's area director in New Hampshire. "Lead is a subtle and insidious hazard that can seriously damage the blood-forming, nervous, urinary and reproductive systems. This reality makes it imperative that employers monitor their workers' lead exposure levels, provide effective respiratory protection and promptly remove workers from exposure when necessary."
OSHA determined the foundry didn’t provide required biological monitoring for workers exposed to lead, and that they did not properly fit-test or make sure adequate respiratory protection was provided for those workers. Required benefits were also not provide for workers medically removed from work from lead overexposure.
OSHA proposes $91,275 in penalties against Griffin Industries
September 9, 2009
OSHA proposes $91,275 in penalties against Griffin Industries rendering plant in Starke, Florida.
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspected a Griffin Industries site in Starke, Florida, citing it with one willful violation and a $55,000 proposed penalty for not providing workers with fall protection when working above an industrial blender. A willful violation is defined as one committed with plain indifference to or intentional disregard for employee safety and health. A repeat violation is also issued with a $25,000 proposed penalty for the company's continuing failure to conduct an annual audit of its lockout tagout of energy source procedures for equipment. A repeat citation is issued when the employer has been previously cited for a substantially similar hazard in the past three years.
Other violations with proposed penalties totaling $11,275 are for not shutting down equipment during clearing operations, failing to anchor a machine, not providing a lock to lock-out equipment, and not covering a floor hole.
Serious violations are issued in situations when there is a substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard that the employer knew or should have known. Other-than-serious violations are defined as situations where exposure cannot reasonably be predicted to cause death or serious physical harm to employees but the violation would have a direct impact on the employee health or safety.
Griffin Industries c, based in Cold Spring, Kentucky, collects and recycles agricultural waste, meat and poultry by-products, grocery scraps, restaurant grease and waste from the bakery industry.
"Fall hazards continue to be a leading cause of employee deaths in the workplace and should never be overlooked in any industry," said OSHA's area director in Jacksonville, Florida, James Borders.
385,000 sharps-related injuries occur annually
An estimated 385,000 sharps-related injuries occur annually among health care workers in hospitals alone, exposing them to bloodborne pathogens. A new initiative focuses on raising awareness of the risks and trying to persuade workers to make changes necessary to reduce sharps injuries.
Stop Sticks is a community-based program announced by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C are among the bloodborne pathogens that can result from needlesticks and other sharps-related injuries in the workplace.
While operating room and emergency department personnel are especially at risk, clinical and nonclinical health care workers and health care administrators in hospitals, doctors' offices, nursing homes, and home health care agencies also may be exposed. NIOSH says the first step to reducing the risk is making health care workers aware of the magnitude of the problem.
According to the Exposure Prevention Information Network, sharps-related injuries in nonsurgical hospital settings decreased more than 31 percent from 2001 to 2006 following the Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act of 2000. But surgical settings saw an increase in injuries of more than 6 percent during the same time period, where adoption of safety devices was limited compared to the nonsurgical settings.
The network also says about half of sharps injuries go unreported. The idea of the campaign is to raise awareness of the problem and encourage changes in organizations' safety cultures and the use of safer sharps devices and practices.
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