Enforcement


Holiday Drunk Driving Arrests Rise in UK

Figures released by ACPO show that 7,124 drivers were arrested during the drink-drive crackdown that ran across England and Wales from Dec. 1, 2011, until Jan. 1, 2012.

OSHA Busts Railcar Manufacturer Following Worker's Electrocution

An employee was electrocuted while performing repair work on a tanker-style railcar July 25 at the company's work site near Marmaduke, Ark. Proposed penalties total $61,400.

Truck Inspection Turns Up Contaminated Tissue Holders

A routine vehicle inspection -- one of more than 600,000 done annually by the California Highway Patrol -- recently turned up a shipment, leading to a nationwide product recall, according to the agency.

Worker's Thumb Crushed in Machine, Wis. Firm Fined $105,000

On July 25, the employee's thumb was crushed while he was bending a metal part between the unguarded dies of the brake. The thumb had to be medically amputated. The company was still operating the unguarded press brake when OSHA initiated an inspection on Aug. 16 based on a referral from the state of Wisconsin.

Cal/OSHA Issues $256,445 in Citations to Warehouse Operators

The violations include lack of fall protection for high-rise pickers, unstable storage stacking, and unguarded machinery.

Chicago Shifts to Risk-Based Food Inspections

This will replace the current practice by the Department of Public Health of inspecting all food establishments at least once every six months.

OSHA Issues 19 Notices of Unsafe Working Conditions to Veterans Health Care Facility

"All employers, including federal employers, are responsible for knowing what hazards exist in their facilities and must take appropriate precautions by following OSHA standards so workers are not exposed to such risks," said Mark Hysell, director of OSHA's Eau Claire Area Office in Wisconsin.

More Auto Oversight Needed After Toyota Sudden Acceleration Problems, Panel Says

The report recommends that NHTSA establish a standing technical advisory panel of individuals with backgrounds central to the design, development, and safety assurance of automotive electronics systems.



OSHA Orders AirTran to Rehire Whistleblower, Pay $1 Million

"Retaliating against a pilot for reporting mechanical malfunctions is not consistent with a company that values the safety of its workers and customers," said Dr. David Michaels, assistant secretary of labor for occupational safety and health.

Washington Dept. of Labor Launches Enforcement, Education Initiative for Primary Metals Industry

DOSH has created a new Web page offering training materials and other resources and developed a slideshow depicting two serious injuries due to molten metal.

OSHA Floors Tile Company with $318,000 Fine

American Marazzi Tile Inc. has been issued 25 safety and health violations for exposing workers to excessive noise levels, machine guarding hazards, and other conditions.

Five Freight Train Collisions in 2011 Prompt NTSB to Issue Safety Recommendations to FRA

All five recommendations focus on the need for railroads to disseminate information related to these accidents to their employees and to emphasize the need for crewmembers to operate trains in accordance with restricted speed operating rules, NTSB said.

Convicted British Firm to Pay $388,000 in Crushing Fatality

The Health and Safety Executive prosecuted a crane supply company and one of its supervisors after a 3,000-pound steel beam fell and killed Colin Dickson, 38, in August 2007.

$147,840 in Fines Issued to Shipyard for Lack of Machine Guarding

OSHA began health and safety inspections in July as a follow-up to inspections conducted in March 2008. The 2008 inspections were initiated based on a referral from the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration, after a worker sustained an amputation injury.

Commission Opens Penalty Phase in San Bruno Case

With an independent audit and a report from CPUC's Consumer Protection and Safety Division exposing Pacific Gas and Electric Company's repeated decisions to postpone maintenance, the penalty consideration case opened Jan. 12 could result in "very significant fines" against the utility.

Plastic Container Maker Busted for Fall, Shock Hazards

OSHA has issued the company 22 safety and health violations for exposing workers to a variety of hazards at its facility following an inspection that was initiated in August based on a complaint. Proposed penalties total $55,755.

N.Y. Felt Firm Fined $146,300 for Crushing, Machine Hazards

"Left uncorrected, these hazards expose employees to possible electrocution, crushing, and struck-by injuries, being caught in moving machine parts, hearing loss, falls, eye and hand injuries, asbestos, and lead," said Arthur Dube, OSHA's acting area director in Albany.

Washington Department of Labor Adopts Hazardous Drugs Rule

The rule provides minimum requirements for developing a hazardous drugs control program. Employers, using a hazard assessment, will put programs in place to minimize or eliminate the hazardous exposures to their employees.

Cal/OSHA Cites Two Contractors Following Heat-Related Fatality

“These incidents, including a tragic death, highlight the need for employers at outdoor worksites to be diligent and monitor their workers for signs of heat illness,” said California Department of Industrial Relations Director Christine Baker.

Two Workers Injured in Rotating Equipment, Recycler Fined $70,000

The employees were performing maintenance work inside a large rotating drum used to sort scrap material for recycling when the drum activated, injuring them.

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