Enforcement


U.S. Marshals Seize Unapproved Products from Tri-Med Labs

At the request of the Food and Drug Administration, U.S. marshals seized articles of prescription and over-the-counter drug products from Tri-Med Laboratories Inc. in Somerset, N.J. earlier this month. The seizure warrant, issued by the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey and unsealed this week, shows the drugs are unapproved and adulterated new drugs.

Deputy Assistant Secretary Jordan Barab indicated OSHA is concerned because inspectors found many violations.

OSHA Increasing Emphasis on Chemicals, Refineries

Deputy Assistant Secretary Jordan Barab updated attendees of the 2010 Mary Kay O'Connor Process Safety Center International Symposium about the two National Emphasis Programs, including the Chemical pilot NEP.

Gov. Ed Rendell

Marcellus Shale Moratorium Means Little

Gov. Ed Rendell of Pennsylvania orders gas drilling halted in state forest lands after the legislature would not pass a severance tax. But the state already has issued hundreds of drilling permits.

Worker's Fatal Electrocution Leads to $119,700 Fine for Landscaping Firm

OSHA initiated an investigation April 21 when a worker made contact with a high-voltage power line while tree cutting. As a result of the investigation, the company was cited for two willful, seven serious, and three other-than-serious violations.

Gun Powder Manufacturer Fined $1.2 Million Following Deadly Explosion

"Even after a prior incident in which a worker was seriously injured, and multiple warnings from its business partners and a former employee, this employer still decided against implementing safety measures," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Dr. David Michaels.

FDA Increases Retail Food Safety Initiatives

“In looking at the data, it is quite clear that having a certified food protection manager on the job makes a difference,” said FDA Deputy Commissioner for Foods Michael R. Taylor. “Some states and localities require certified food protection managers already, and many in the retail industry employ them voluntarily as a matter of good practice. We think it should become common practice.”

Ohio Construction Company Cited $57,600 for Fall Protection Violations

"Falling is the great safety hazard for workers on roofing projects, and B.O.S.S. Construction has demonstrated a pattern of disregard for its workers' safety by failing to ensure fall protection is in place on jobsites," said OSHA Area Director Jule Hovi.

Four Deaths Attributed to Listeriosis Caused by San Antonio Food Processing Plant

Texas health officials are investigating four deaths that are believed to have been caused by tainted celery from The Sangar Produce & Processing Co.



NLRB's First Female Chairman Remembered

Betty Southard Murphy, who chaired the board from February 1975 to April 1977, died Oct. 16, according to an NLRB announcement. She said her successor called Murphy's tenure the "golden age of the board" because labor and management worked well together.

U.S. Postal Service Fined Again, This Time in Ohio for $210,000

"These sizable fines reflect the severity and ongoing nature of these hazards," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Dr. David Michaels. "The Postal Service ignored long-established safety standards and knowingly put its workers in harm's way."

Two Roofing Firms Face $295,000 in Fines Following Worker's Fatal 40-Foot Fall

"Falls are the number-one reason workers performing construction work are hurt or killed. There is no excuse for an employer in the construction industry to not provide the necessary equipment and training for workers performing roofing work," said Charles Adkins, OSHA's regional administrator in Kansas City, Mo.

MSHA Issues 550-Plus Violations in Recent Enforcement Sweep

"We are continuing to find serious threats to miners' safety and health," said Joseph A. Main, assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health. "While some operators are finally getting the message, others are not."

Noise Suppression Technologies, Inc. of Columbus, Ohio (www.noisesuppression.com) makes these Quilted Curtain Composites, which are used as enclosures to contain and absorb noise.

OSHA Shifts on Noise Exposure Standards

It is reversing the enforcement policy it has used since 1983, which allows most employers to use PPE and a hearing conservation program rather than engineering and administrative controls.

California Emphasis Program Confirms Refineries in Good Shape

An examination of 11 refineries by Cal/OSHA's Process Safety Management Unit found they are properly managing the risks that caused the April 2010 explosion at the Tesoro refinery in Anacortes, Wash., in which seven workers died.

FMCSA Shows Off New CMV Inspection Technologies

New technologies demonstrated at the Commercial Motor Vehicle Technology Showcase last week in Tennessee promise to make roadside inspections faster and more comprehensive, according to FMCSA Administrator Anne Ferro.

The thrust of the recommendations by Lord Young, shown here, is to remove burdensome regulations and oversight from low-risk enterprises.

UK's Safety & Health Simplicity Era Begins

Lord Young's report delivered Oct. 15 recommends qualification requirements for health and safety consultants and a longer period, seven days, in which businesses would have to report an injury or accident to authorities.

Company Faces OSHA Fine Following Fatal Flash Fire

"For the safety of all their workers, employers must be vigilant when workers enter confined spaces, and take effective and specific protective action," said Greg Baxter, OSHA's regional administrator in Denver.

Airline Fined $455,175 for Excessive Oil Consumption, Maintenance Violations

FAA alleges that Corporate Air operated the aircraft on at least 80 flights in spite of continued evidence of excessive oil consumption by the right engine.

Alarming Video Raises NATE's Ire

A posted "Stairway to Heaven" video that shows two lighting techs free climbing a broadcast tower is "erroneous and dangerous," the National Association of Tower Erectors said in a statement issued Thursday.

DOL Recovers More than $485,000 in Back Wages from New York Dollar Stores

"We took this legal action because, in the past, these defendants have professed to operate single establishments even though they are actually operating a large, multi-establishment retail enterprise with many locations," said Maria Rosado, director of the Wage and Hour Division's district office in New York City.

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