Sigma Processed Meats Inc. has been cited for 16 serious and three repeat violations worth $204,800 in proposed penalties.
The final rule takes effect Jan. 3. It does not ban hands-free phone use.
The revised materials address OSHA's Materials Handling and Storage standard that protects workers who service single-piece and multi-piece rim wheels.
"Falls are the leading cause of death in the construction industry and failing to ensure workers use fall protection when required is unacceptable," said Gary Anderson, director of OSHA's Calumet City Area Office.
Facilities to be inspected will be randomly selected from a list of sites likely to have highly hazardous chemicals in quantities covered by the process safety management standard.
The Rancho Cordova, Calif., explosion on Dec. 24, 2008, involved natural gas leaking from a distribution pipeline. An administrative judge rejected a smaller, $26 million fine proposed by the CPUC and the utility.
Breathing crystalline silica dust can cause silicosis, an incurable condition that reduces the ability of lungs to take in oxygen.
OSHA initiated an inspection of the fabrication plant after receiving a complaint alleging that injured workers, who were unable to perform their normal jobs, were moved to other jobs to avoid recordable injuries on the OSHA 300 logs.
Serious safety violations include failing to provide training for employees working with hazardous materials, provide appropriate personal protective equipment for eyes and face, and exposing workers to live electrical parts.
OSHA issued seven safety violations after an employee performing repair work on an oil drilling rig was electrocuted at the company's worksite near Ozona, Texas.
Soot is generated by coal-fired power plants, diesel and other vehicles, agricultural burning, wood stoves, and industrial combustion.
T2 Construction oversaw the activities of demolition contractor Gramek Construction, including the removal of floor tile and pipe insulation that allegedly contained asbestos.
"We hope this citation sends a message to all employers in California that when the failure to keep and provide records as required by law is part of a concerted effort to deny workers their hard-earned wages, we will not tolerate it,” said California Labor Commissioner Julie Su.
An employee had complained about safety and health hazards to the clinic's management staff before filing a formal complaint about the hazards with OSHA. The employee was later discharged and then filed a whistleblower complaint with OSHA alleging retaliation by the defendants in violation of Section 11(c) of the OSH Act.
An available enforcement action since the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 1990 was enacted, the maximum penalties will be $100,000 for each violation and $15,150,000 for any related series of violations.
"Operation Hang Up" is a statewide enforcement campaign during the Thanksgiving holiday, funded by NHTSA.
The company was cited for four willful safety citations for failing to provide fall protection and ensure workers operating nail guns wore safety glasses at two separate job sites in Findlay and Toledo, Ohio. Proposed fines total $48,400.
The agency said this change, among several proposed adjustments to its penalty structure that are set for Dec. 2 and Dec. 7 public hearings, would remove what could be seen as a reward for doing what is already required.
"Our inspections found numerous electrical, chemical, mechanical, fire, and exit hazards at this plant," said Paul Mangiafico, OSHA's area director in Hartford, Conn.
Six agencies, including the U.S. Department of Labor, had zero suspension and debarment cases during the past five fiscal years, GAO’s report states.