Enforcement


PHMSA, FERC to Sign Agreement on Permitting LNG Facilities

It will clarify each agency's role in the permitting process for potential LNG projects and implement procedures into FERC's authorization process that will leverage PHMSA's safety expertise to evaluate potential impacts on public safety.

Big Fine Issued in Unsafe Trenching Case

"A trench can collapse in seconds and trap workers under thousands of pounds of soil," said OSHA St. Louis Area Office Director Bill McDonald. "Employers performing excavation work must develop and implement safety procedures to properly protect their employees from cave-ins, and train crews to recognize and evaluate hazards."

Asbestos Contractor Cited, Fined in Washington State

In two recent site inspections, the workers did not use proper safety equipment, required air sampling was not performed, and asbestos-containing material was left exposed to the public and was improperly taken through public areas.

The impairment argument is incredibly complex. Many employers use the term in workplace drug and alcohol policies but this may not be the most prudent choice as marijuana impairment cannot necessarily be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

Health Canada Warns Medical Marijuana Producers About Sponsoring Events

Cannabis advertising is subject to several prohibitions in both the Narcotic Control Regulations and the Food and Drugs Act, with paragraph 70(b) of the NCR stating that no person shall publish or cause to be published or furnish any advertisement to the general public respecting a narcotic.

OSHA Cites Company in Amputation Case

The company, a wooden post manufacturer, faces $109,548 in proposed penalties.

NYC DOB Starts No-Penalty Deck, Retaining Wall Inspection Program

The Department of Buildings notes that factors such as weather and shifting soil can cause decks, porches, and retaining walls to weaken, deteriorate, or lean over time, so it is important the owners are diligent in making sure they are safe and code compliant in order to prevent potential accidents.

Health Canada Proposes Fees to Recover Costs of Regulating Cannabis

The agency proposes to scale fees according to the size of the business and to provide for lower fees for the newly proposed micro-scale license holders, with some types of license—those for research, analytical testing, and hemp production—being exempt from fees.

EPA Head Scott Pruitt Resigns

Scott Pruitt resigned from his position as head of the Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday after months of controversy involving his ethics, spending, and management of the agency.



UK Company Fined After Workers Suffer Serious Leg Injuries

An engineering company was sentenced by the Health and Safety Executive on Wednesday after two employees were seriously injured while disposing of old gas cylinders at work at the company’s site.

The proposed PEL of 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air as an eight-hour time weighted average is half of the current PEL for quartz, the most common form of crystalline silica, in general industry and far below the now-obsolete PELs for crystalline silica applied to construction and shipyards.

Respirable Crystalline Silica: Regulations and Considerations

OSHA requires that engineering controls be used to achieve necessary exposure reductions unless infeasible; organizations may not simply issue respirators and "be done with" their attempts to lower exposures.

Florida Roofing Company Cited for Fall Hazards

OSHA's release said it investigated Crown Roofing LLC as part of the agency's Regional Emphasis Program for Falls in Construction.

White House Proposes Merger of DOL and Education Department

The proposed Department of Education and the Workforce "would allow the Federal Government to address the educational and skill needs of American students and workers in a coordinated way," the OMB reform plan says.

OSHA Cites Wisconsin Contractor for Fall Hazards

"Employers are required to provide fall protection to employees working in construction at heights above 6 feet," said Robert Bonack, OSHA Appleton Area Office director. "This employer's repeated failure to comply with federal safety requirements exposes employees to fatal injuries from fall hazards."

Volkswagen Accepts $1.2 Billion Penalty in Diesel Scandal

Volkswagen AG accepted the fine and, by doing so, admitted its responsibility.

Silica Standard Enforcement Begins with Compliance Assistance

Most provisions of the standard become enforceable on June 23. OSHA announced it intends to issue interim enforcement guidance until a compliance directive on the new standard is finalized.

Jail Term Given for UK Electrical Injury

An HSE investigation found the electrical installation at the unit in Carew Airfield operated by George W.E. Jones as part of his scrap metal business was unsafe and was more suited to home than a commercial business.

Loitering Citations Issued to Volcano Sightseers

Like 18 people previously cited, the seven cited June 6 allegedly bypassed established checkpoints or were found in areas closed because of the Kilauea volcano's continuing eruption.

Appeals Court Orders Roofing Contractor to Ensure Workers Use Fall Protection

"The 1st Circuit's order requires Lessard to ensure that all workers at his work sites, whether his employees, employees of his subcontractors, or actual or putative independent contractors, are operating safely, after a long history of his failing to provide adequate protective measures," said Michael Felsen, Regional Solicitor of Labor in Boston.

OSHA Cites Kansas Contractor for Fall and Other Hazards

Wichita, Kansas, roofing contractor Jose Barrientos faces proposed penalties totaling $191,071 for two willful and six serious violations, according to the agency.

Bloodborne Pathogens Compliance Still a Concern

Two former OSHA staffers identified the agency's most-cited violations during 25 years of enforcement (1991-2015), presenting their findings at AIHce EXP 2018.

Featured

Artificial Intelligence

Webinars