Enforcement


The thrust of the recommendations by Lord Young, shown here, is to remove burdensome regulations and oversight from low-risk enterprises.

UK's Safety & Health Simplicity Era Begins

Lord Young's report delivered Oct. 15 recommends qualification requirements for health and safety consultants and a longer period, seven days, in which businesses would have to report an injury or accident to authorities.

Company Faces OSHA Fine Following Fatal Flash Fire

"For the safety of all their workers, employers must be vigilant when workers enter confined spaces, and take effective and specific protective action," said Greg Baxter, OSHA's regional administrator in Denver.

Airline Fined $455,175 for Excessive Oil Consumption, Maintenance Violations

FAA alleges that Corporate Air operated the aircraft on at least 80 flights in spite of continued evidence of excessive oil consumption by the right engine.

Alarming Video Raises NATE's Ire

A posted "Stairway to Heaven" video that shows two lighting techs free climbing a broadcast tower is "erroneous and dangerous," the National Association of Tower Erectors said in a statement issued Thursday.

DOL Recovers More than $485,000 in Back Wages from New York Dollar Stores

"We took this legal action because, in the past, these defendants have professed to operate single establishments even though they are actually operating a large, multi-establishment retail enterprise with many locations," said Maria Rosado, director of the Wage and Hour Division's district office in New York City.

CVS Paying $77.6 Million in Pseudoephedrine Case

The company said it has fixed the "electronic monitoring system flaw" that caused a "lapse in controls of PSE sales in certain CVS/pharmacy stores in 2007 and 2008."

Skydiving Company Lands $664,000 in Fines for FAA Safety Violations

FAA alleges that the company operated an aircraft on approximately 2,121 flights between March 21, 2008, and Nov. 4, 2009, with elevator control cables that were overdue for replacement and when the plane was not in compliance with Airworthiness Directives requiring visual inspections of the wing main spar, lower spar cap extensions, and wing support strut for possible corrosion.

DOE Withholds $3 Million from Contractor for Safety Violations

The Oct. 7 letter from the Office of Health, Safety and Security's acting enforcement chief to Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, LLC said SRNS "had extensive deficiencies" in hazard assessment and its electrical safety program.



Company Fined $188,500 for Exposing Workers to Lead, More

"Simsmetal East knowingly put its workers at risk by failing to protect them from overexposure to lead, which can cause brain damage, paralysis, kidney disease, and even death," said Kris Hoffman, director of OSHA's Parsippany Area Office in New Jersey.

Georgia Furniture Manufacturer Fined $90,000 for Training Violations

During an inspection at the plant in May, OSHA found the employer failed to conduct training or evaluations for workers operating propane-propelled forklift trucks in the company's warehouse.

Company Fined $78,000 for Worker's Chemical Burning, Other Hazards

If the proper safety precautions had been taken by management, this injury could have been prevented," said Bill Fulcher, director of OSHA's Atlanta-East Area Office.

HSE posted this photo of the heater that Paul Lee turned on in his living room in November 2007. Ten hours later, a cleaner found him unconscious, and Lee died of a heart attack while being transported to a hospital.

Big UK Pub Chain Fined for CO Death

Enterprise Inns plc was fined $478,000 in a case involving a tenant landlord who died in November 2007 of carbon monoxide poisoning. The company owns about 7,700 pubs across the United Kingdom.

Packaging Plant Penalized for 60 Alleged Violations; Faces $137K Fine

"Our inspections identified a broad cross-section of electrical, mechanical, chemical, fire, and fall hazards throughout the workplace," said Paul Mangiafico, OSHA's acting area director in Hartford, Conn.

Obesity Drug Meridia Pulled from Market Due to Heart, Stroke Risks

“Meridia’s continued availability is not justified when you compare the very modest weight loss that people achieve on this drug to their risk of heart attack or stroke,” said John Jenkins, M.D., director of the Office of New Drugs in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger recently signed into law AB 2774 (Swanson) which clarifies the definition of a serious citation.

New Law to Strengthen Cal/OSHA Citation Process

New factors used to accurately issue serious citations include any training given to employees and supervisors, existing workplace safety procedures, supervision of employees exposed to the hazard, as well as any contributing information the employer wishes to provide to explain why the employer believes that no serious violation exists.

MSHA's Fight with Massey Energy Continues

The federal agency issued 11 closure orders during a Sept. 28 surprise inspection at a West Virginia coal mine owned by the company. All 11 hazards have been abated.

DOL Strategic Plan Sets Lofty Safety Goals

The 2016 target for federal agencies' rate for lost-time injuries and illnesses is 1.07, which is a 27 percent improvement from 2009's 1.48, according to the DOL plan.

FAA Proposes Stricter Safety Rules for Helicopter Operators

Under the proposed rules, operators would use the latest on-board technology and equipment to avoid terrain and obstacles. The proposal also contains provisions which, if finalized, would require operators to use enhanced procedures for flying in challenging weather, at night, and when landing in remote locations.

FDA Seeks Permanent Injunction against New York Juice Maker

Failure to identify and control food hazards could lead to the formation of Clostridium botulinum (C. bot.) bacteria that can germinate in the carrot and beet juices made by the company. The neurotoxin formed by C. bot., when ingested in even very small amounts, could cause paralysis, difficulty breathing, and potentially death from asphyxiation.

WISHA Issues Record Fine for Tesoro Explosion

L&I announced it has cited Tesoro for 39 willful violations and five serious violations of state workplace safety and health regulations, fining the company $2.39 million. This is the largest fine in the agency’s history.

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