"The level of disregard for workers' safety demonstrated by this employer is irresponsible. Although the employer knows the fire and explosion hazards associated with the accumulation of combustible dust, a choice was made to do nothing about it," said Les Grove, OSHA's area director in Tampa.
The alliance is geared to address hazard communication and to increase awareness of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS).
Suzanne Hart, 41, died on Dec. 14, 2011, as she was entering elevator number 9 at 285 Madison Ave. and it accelerated upward with its doors open. Two city departments have suspended the license of the elevator maintenance firm.
"Allowing workers to come in contact with exposed and energized parts without appropriate personal protective equipment demonstrates a lack of concern for their safety," said George Yoksas, OSHA's area director in Milwaukee.
The agency described Kuehne Chemical Co. Inc. as a bleach manufacturer and chlorine and caustic soda reseller that employs 45 workers at its Delaware City, Del. facility, where the inspection took place.
The violation was cited after an investigation prompted by a complaint determined that employees working on mold machines and exposed to hot temperatures that could result in burns were provided with ineffective personal protective equipment.
A freight company, its managing director, and a contractor pleaded guilty in connection with a remodeling job that may exposed at least 20 people to asbestos fibers.
Colgate-Palmolive, 3M’s Hutchinson Plant in Minnesota, and Bechtel National Inc. are the recipients of this year’s Hearing Loss Prevention Awards.
OSHA's Houston South Area Office initiated a safety inspection Sept. 1 following a complaint alleging that several employees had suffered near amputation incidents while operating machinery.
Located all across the country, they are among 264 the agency has been studying with an eye toward closing them.
The serious violations include failing to ensure that workers were provided with adequate working space around electrical equipment and that the working space was not used for storage and properly cover electrical equipment.
OSHA initiated its inspection as part of the agency's national emphasis program to reduce employees' exposure to combustible dust hazards. Proposed penalties total $103,356.
Proposed by INSafe, the alliance document will be signed next month. A final report from the working group will be issued by May and will recommend best practices and standards for safety audits.
The serious violations include failing to provide required machine guarding to prevent workers from coming into contact with rotating parts on drill presses, ensure that employees are trained on the use of energy control procedures, and prevent slip and "struck-by" hazards by ensuring walkways are kept clean and dry.
"Publix is well aware of the hazards the cleaning crew was exposed to, yet took no steps to safeguard employees by controlling the conveyor equipment's energy source," said Brian Sturtecky, OSHA's area director in Jacksonville, Fla.
The president of the Fair Labor Association, a nonprofit the manufacturer joined a month ago as its first technology company member, began the first "special voluntary audit" at Foxconn City in Shenzhen on Feb. 13.
"The sizable fines proposed here reflect not only the seriousness of these conditions but the fact that several of them are substantially similar to hazards identified at nine other Wal-Mart locations in New York and eight other states," said Arthur Dube, OSHA's area director in Buffalo.
Thirty-five percent of the 822 hospitals responding had investigated at least one outbreak in the previous two years.
As OSHA filed $21,500 in penalties and four serious violations against Zaloudek Grain Co. in connection with the case, one of the victims spoke about his recovery to classmates on Feb. 3, his 18th birthday.
The free podcasts on a variety of occupational safety, health, and environmental topics are available at ASSE’s virtual classroom.