The Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration recently announced the publication of comprehensive data regarding safety and health records of the nation's mines. The data sets contain all of the agency's public data from calendar year 2000 to the present regarding mine locations, accidents, injuries, production, violations, and inspections.
OSHA began its inspection in March after receiving a complaint concerning ammonia odors, trip and struck-by hazards, cuts, and stabbing injuries. The investigation was expanded to all areas of the facility when inspectors observed a high number of safety hazards.
A single citation for obstructed exit routes alone amounted to $70,000 because the company was cited for similar conditions at other locations three years ago, making it a recurring hazard.
The OSHA area director urged the company to evaluate all of its store locations for hazards after this latest filing.
An inspection’s sampling of water from various locations on the property confirmed the discharge of boron, arsenic, copper, ammonia, zinc, chromium, cobalt, manganese, nickel, selenium, aluminum, barium, cadmium, and 2-Butanone into the Weaver Branch tributary.
The Mine Safety and Health Administration recently issued a safety alert and fatality update to the mining industry to draw renewed attention to deaths that have occurred this year in mines throughout the country.
“Employers are legally bound to provide a safe work environment for their employees,” said OSHA chief David Michals. “This company has repeatedly failed to do so, costing one worker his life and grievously injuring another. This must stop.”
The complaint is based, in part, upon illegal neomycin, penicillin, and sulfadimethoxine drug residues that the USDA found in the edible tissue of dairy cows that defendants had offered for sale for human consumption.
Recall data from 1973 forward is available, containing information such as brand names, product types, product descriptions, companies involved in recalls, where the products were manufactured, hazards, recall dates, and UPC codes (when those are available).
The event is part of a campaign designed to raise public awareness of indicators of terrorism, crime, and other threats and emphasize the importance of reporting suspicious activity to the proper transportation and law enforcement authorities.
The Mine Safety and Health Administration recently announced the release of two new program information bulletins pertaining to the rights of miners who make hazardous condition complaints and request inspections, as well as miners' protections against discrimination.
One is in Las Vegas, bringing praise from the congresswoman who district includes that city. The other three are in Oakland, Calif.; San Diego, Calif.; and Phoenix, Ariz.
Serving as the Department of Labor’s liaison in Colorado, New Mexico, Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma, and Nebraska, the new “sec rep” is responsible for amplifying key programs and initiatives.
Imminent danger investigations, fatality/catastrophe investigations, and complaint investigations are already in the regulation; the added category would be "other critical inspections as determined by the Assistant Secretary."
The citations allege, among other things, that the company did not take air samples as required for workers who were overexposed to airborne lead nor provide the required annual training associated with the hazards. An additional willful violation alleges that the company stopped providing hearing tests to employees overexposed to noise.
Announcing a $3 million fine against one employer and $1.2 million against another, the agency continues come down hard on violations even when no fatality is involved.
An investigation by DOT’s Aviation Enforcement Office of disability complaints filed with AirTran and DOT revealed a number of violations of the requirement for boarding assistance. In addition, the carrier’s complaint files showed that it frequently did not provide an adequate written response to complaints from passengers.
It appears we simply won't give up our phones.
The committee's Sept. 14-15 meeting in Washington, D.C., also features an update on Gulf of Mexico oil spill cleanup monitoring by OSHA and NIOSH.
The regulations, which establish procedures for handling worker retaliation complaints, allow filing by phone as well as in writing and filing in languages other than English.