Enforcement


NYC DOB Starts No-Penalty Deck, Retaining Wall Inspection Program

The Department of Buildings notes that factors such as weather and shifting soil can cause decks, porches, and retaining walls to weaken, deteriorate, or lean over time, so it is important the owners are diligent in making sure they are safe and code compliant in order to prevent potential accidents.

Health Canada Proposes Fees to Recover Costs of Regulating Cannabis

The agency proposes to scale fees according to the size of the business and to provide for lower fees for the newly proposed micro-scale license holders, with some types of license—those for research, analytical testing, and hemp production—being exempt from fees.

EPA Head Scott Pruitt Resigns

Scott Pruitt resigned from his position as head of the Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday after months of controversy involving his ethics, spending, and management of the agency.

UK Company Fined After Workers Suffer Serious Leg Injuries

An engineering company was sentenced by the Health and Safety Executive on Wednesday after two employees were seriously injured while disposing of old gas cylinders at work at the company’s site.

The proposed PEL of 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air as an eight-hour time weighted average is half of the current PEL for quartz, the most common form of crystalline silica, in general industry and far below the now-obsolete PELs for crystalline silica applied to construction and shipyards.

Respirable Crystalline Silica: Regulations and Considerations

OSHA requires that engineering controls be used to achieve necessary exposure reductions unless infeasible; organizations may not simply issue respirators and "be done with" their attempts to lower exposures.

Florida Roofing Company Cited for Fall Hazards

OSHA's release said it investigated Crown Roofing LLC as part of the agency's Regional Emphasis Program for Falls in Construction.

White House Proposes Merger of DOL and Education Department

The proposed Department of Education and the Workforce "would allow the Federal Government to address the educational and skill needs of American students and workers in a coordinated way," the OMB reform plan says.

OSHA Cites Wisconsin Contractor for Fall Hazards

"Employers are required to provide fall protection to employees working in construction at heights above 6 feet," said Robert Bonack, OSHA Appleton Area Office director. "This employer's repeated failure to comply with federal safety requirements exposes employees to fatal injuries from fall hazards."



Volkswagen Accepts $1.2 Billion Penalty in Diesel Scandal

Volkswagen AG accepted the fine and, by doing so, admitted its responsibility.

Silica Standard Enforcement Begins with Compliance Assistance

Most provisions of the standard become enforceable on June 23. OSHA announced it intends to issue interim enforcement guidance until a compliance directive on the new standard is finalized.

Jail Term Given for UK Electrical Injury

An HSE investigation found the electrical installation at the unit in Carew Airfield operated by George W.E. Jones as part of his scrap metal business was unsafe and was more suited to home than a commercial business.

Loitering Citations Issued to Volcano Sightseers

Like 18 people previously cited, the seven cited June 6 allegedly bypassed established checkpoints or were found in areas closed because of the Kilauea volcano's continuing eruption.

Appeals Court Orders Roofing Contractor to Ensure Workers Use Fall Protection

"The 1st Circuit's order requires Lessard to ensure that all workers at his work sites, whether his employees, employees of his subcontractors, or actual or putative independent contractors, are operating safely, after a long history of his failing to provide adequate protective measures," said Michael Felsen, Regional Solicitor of Labor in Boston.

OSHA Cites Kansas Contractor for Fall and Other Hazards

Wichita, Kansas, roofing contractor Jose Barrientos faces proposed penalties totaling $191,071 for two willful and six serious violations, according to the agency.

Bloodborne Pathogens Compliance Still a Concern

Two former OSHA staffers identified the agency's most-cited violations during 25 years of enforcement (1991-2015), presenting their findings at AIHce EXP 2018.

British Manufacturer Fined in Machine Guarding Case

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive into the incident found that the company had not implemented procedures to ensure machinery was isolated before starting maintenance work.

OSHA Cites Companies After Fatal Pipeline Fire

OSHA investigators concluded flammable vapors or gases from a vacuum truck leaked, igniting the pipeline.

OSHA Cites Pennsylvania Manufacturer

OSHA cited the manufacturer of dog treats for 19 violations, including failing to implement lockout/tagout procedures, blocking electrical panels, failing to develop a hazard communication program, and exposing workers to confined space, machine guarding, and electrical hazards.

OSHA Cites Health Facility for Exposing Employees to Workplace Violence

OSHA cited Premier Behavioral Health Solutions of Florida Inc. and UHS of Delaware Inc., subsidiaries of Universal Health Services Inc., for not instituting controls to prevent patients from verbal and physical threats of assault, including kicks, punches, and bites, and from using objects as weapons.

Energy Department Cites Bechtel National Inc. for Safety Violations

BNI has been cited for violations in the areas of management responsibilities, hazard identification and assessment, hazard prevention and abatement, training and information, and recordkeeping.

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