Enforcement


Workplace Deaths Drop 25 Percent in Missouri

A preliminary total of 107 workers were killed in Missouri in 2010, down from the 142 fatalities reported in 2009.

OSHA Puts the Brakes on Wheel Repairer's Safety Hazards

OSHA inspectors found that workers at the company's site in Schertz, Texas, were repairing vehicle wheels using welding equipment that was not properly guarded and without the use of required personal protective equipment.

OSHRC's 'Legacy' Cases Finally Done

The Sept. 28 decision in Secretary of Labor v. Southern Scrap Materials Co., Inc. allowed the commission to resolve all 10 cases with this designation by the end of fiscal 2011.

Two Workers Die in Flash Fire, Boat Repair Firm Fined $221,200

Nine employees were performing cutting and fire watch operations inside the hopper space, an area between the cargo hold and the bottom plate of the vessel, with limited means of entry and exit when the flash fire occurred.

Sears Faces $128K Fine for Blocked Exits, Unstable Merchandise Racks

"The managers of Sears, Roebuck and Co. repeatedly have demonstrated a disregard for their employees' safety by failing to correct workplace hazards that previously were brought to their attention," said Roberto Sanchez, OSHA's area director in Birmingham, Ala.

OSHA Dunks Swimming Pool Firm in Fines Following Worker's Injury

The Hauppauge, N.Y., swimming pool manufacturer faces a total of $106,200 in proposed fines.

The Pennsylvania Convention Center in downtown Philadelphia is the host site for the 2011 National Safety Congress & Expo. (Paul Loftland photo)

All Aboard for Safety

Historic Reading Railroad Terminal is the site of the National Safety Congress & Expo’s long-awaited return to Philadelphia.

Road Casualty Figures Drop in Britain

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) said it welcomes the significant drops in death and injury but cautions that the success is partly due to unusual economic and weather factors which may not continue in coming years.



OSHA to Take-Out Container Maker: Time for Hazards 'To Go'

Eighteen serious violations include failing to maintain emergency lighting in the warehouse, provide employees exposed to noise hazards with proper training and monitoring, provide written operating procedures for the foam extrusion system.

Washington State's TACT Program Still Working Well

Highly visible enforcement targeting aggressive drivers of cars and trucks continues to reduce large-truck fatality crashes, with 26 occurring in 2010, according to an update published in The Police Chief magazine.

Foundry Fined $124,000 Following Worker Fatality

In this case, a coal chute became jammed and the operator left his controls to attempt to un-jam it. Through miscommunication, another employee took the controls and moved the transport vehicle, which hit the worker, crushing him between a guardrail and the jammed coal bin chute.

Worker's Death at Recycling Facility Results in $183,300 Penalty

OSHA opened an inspection after a worker was found dead inside the rotating drum assembly of a machine used to screen recyclables from other refuse on March 30.

$949,800 in Fines Issued to Trailer Maker for Toxic Fumes, Noise Hazards

OSHA's Dallas Area Office initiated a safety and health inspection at the company's facility in Texas following receipt of a complaint that employees were not adequately protected from being injured by rotating machinery parts, and employees were exposed to toxic welding fumes while fabricating trailers and noise levels above approved health standards.

Washington Labor Dept. Investigating Two Fatal Electrocutions

Most high-voltage deaths in Washington do not involve power line workers, but rather people whose jobs place them near power lines, such as construction workers, roofers, tree trimmers, agriculture workers, truck drivers, or mobile equipment operators.

Hazardous Fungicide, Bactericide Leads to Firm's $207,200 Fine

FAA alleges Simplot, a food processing and agricultural company, offered a non-standard fiberboard box containing a five-gallon plastic jug of bactericide and fungicide to UPS.

Singapore Workplace Fatalities Rise in First Half of 2011

The report highlighted that the number of occupational diseases went up from 124 in 2010 to 361 in 2011, primarily due to the increased reporting of noise-induced deafness cases.

Georgia Lumber Firm Nailed for Chain Saw, Machine Guarding Hazards

Charles Greer Lumber Co. has been cited by OSHA for 18 safety and health violations following an April inspection of the company's plant in Suwanee, Ga. Penalties total $87,780.

FMCSA Begins Safety Crackdown on Passenger Vehicles

The strike force, launched in coordination with the summit, is part of FMCSA's nationwide Passenger Carrier Strike Force. The two-week inspection sweep will continue through Oct. 7, 2011.

DOL Sues Dentist for Firing Worker who Complained about Needlestick Hazards

According to the complaint, the employer discharged a dental assistant who raised concerns about an office procedure that required workers to remove protective caps from contaminated needles before putting the needles in disposal containers for sharps.

OSHA Blasts N.Y. Supermarket for Locking Night Shift Workers in Building

"Our inspection found that all five exit doors were locked at night and could not be unlocked without a manager's permission. These workers were essentially caged and that is completely unacceptable," said Kay Gee, OSHA's area director based in Manhattan.

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