Enforcement


Silica Dust Citations Carry $274,500 in Proposed Penalties

OSHA cited Grede Wisconsin Subsidiaries LLC, an iron foundry, for 28 alleged violations.

Wyoming Refinery Faces More Fines

Sinclair Oil's refinery has been cited by Wyoming OSHA several times in recent years, and now the agency has proposed a $259,950 fine.

Massachusetts Authorities Take Action on Compounding Pharmacies

Partial or complete cease and desist orders were issued to 11 pharmacies for a range of violations. DPH also cited another 21 pharmacies for minor deficiencies that have since been corrected or are being addressed.

OR-OSHA Reminds Employers of Reporting Requirement

Fatalities must be reported within eight hours and overnight hospitalizations within 24 hours.

Early refills may be a sign of undertreated pain or possible development of abuse/addiction to the medication.

Trying New Strategies to Curb Drug Abuse

The FDA issued draft guidance Jan. 9 to aid manufacturers trying to devise abuse-deterrent opioids. A county attorney in Arizona and the U.S. Navy recently tried other methods to deter abuse of synthetic drugs.

Cal/OSHA Issues $963,200 in Penalties for Refinery Fire

The state agency also has filed 25 citations against Chevron USA, including 11 willful serious and 12 serious violations, in connection with the August 2012 fire.

Hilda Solis was the most pro-worker secretary in the history of the Department of Labor, wrote Harold Meyerson, editor-at-large at The American Prospect.

Who Will Fill Solis' Shoes?

The now-departed secretary was a true friend of organized labor. ASSE President Richard Pollock says OSHA was "a positive partner" under her leadership.

DOJ's Criminal Division Chief Resigning

Lanny A. Breuer oversaw the Deepwater Horizon Task Force, which secured the largest criminal resolution in U.S. history, $4 billion in criminal fines and penalties, with BP. A judge approved it Jan. 29, 2013.



Another Company Added to Severe Violator Program

Panthera Painting Inc. faces $459,844 in proposed OSHA fines for allegedly exposing workers to lead and other hazards while performing abrasive blasting and repainting projects.

BP Pleads Guilty to Manslaughter, Owes $4B in Criminal Settlement

As a result of the April 2010 Deepwater Horizon explosion and oil spill, BP has pleaded guilty to manslaughter charges involving the 11 workers who died.

Permanent Injunction Entered Against Michigan Food Manufacturer

The Justice Department said FDA inspections found Green Hope LLC did not store food properly, did not address employee cleanliness issues, allowed wastewater to come into contact with tofu during processing, and failed to clean all food-contact surfaces and equipment.

IOSH Applauds Ireland's New Health and Safety Strategy

The organization said it hopes the Health and Safety Authority's Strategy Statement 2013-2015 can reduce occupational fatalities, particularly in agriculture and the fishing industry.

Guilty Plea in OSHA Impersonation Case

Connie M. Knight pleaded guilty to three felony charges and a misdemeanor charge that she created fall documents in order to deliver hazardous waste training to people seeking to work in oil spill cleanup.

President Obama's NLRB Recess Appointments Ruled Unconstitutional

A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit said the president's appointment of three members in January 2012 violated the Constitution.

Pasta Manufacturer Cited for Ammonia Hazards

Resulting in $54,000 worth of fines, Rana Meal Solutions in Bartlett, Ill. exposed employees to ammonia hazards and lack of adequate safety procedures.

Upper Big Branch Mine Superintendent Sentenced to Prison

Gary May received a 21-month sentence on Jan. 17 after pleading guilty last year to conspiring to impede MSHA enforcement efforts at the mine, U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin announced.

Man Sentenced to Jail for Disabling Tractor Safety Device, Resulting in Worker's Death

A vineyard employee's death could have been prevented had the tractor's kill switch not been removed.

Deputy Now Serving as Acting U.S. Labor Secretary

Seth Harris, a former law professor, has been serving as deputy secretary since May 2009.

NHTSA Readies for New Era of Highway Safety Grants

An interim final rule explains how separate grant programs, and some new ones Congress specified, will be awarded through a consolidated application process.

Secretary Solis Says Farewell

In a Jan. 22 departing post on the Labor Department's Work in Progress blog, the department secretary writes that she is proud of having saved workers' lives during her tenure and ready for the next chapter in her life.

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