TOSHA Issued $90K in Recordkeeping Penalties This Year
In its latest newsletter, the Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development said it had issued more than $90,000 in penalties in 63 inspections since Oct. 1, 2009, with 20 of those inspections in public-sector workplaces where no civil penalties are assessed.
Penalties for recordkeeping violations can add up fast, and that's happened several times this year to Tennessee employers. In its latest newsletter, TOSHA (the Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development) announced it had issued more than $90,000 in penalties in 63 recordkeeping inspections since Oct. 1, 2009, with 20 of those inspections done in public-sector workplaces where no civil penalties are assessed.
Some companies were handed more than $20,000 in fines for alleged OSHA 300 log violations that include not recording workers' standard threshold shifts in hearing as required; failing to complete the log; failing to create, certify, or post OSHA form 300A; and failing to report a fatality or catastrophe to TOSHA within eight hours of the occurrence as required.
The same newsletter alerts stakeholders both that TOSHA will adopt any final combustible dust rule that OSHA issues and that employers should start developing a safety and health management program now because OSHA is working on a rule that will require them.