Following a thorough investigation, the agency issued two willful and 12 serious citations with total proposed penalties of $135,900. The alleged violations include arc flash hazards, insufficient hand protection, and industrial truck training deficiencies.
The nine health care facilities located in seven states "put profits ahead of sound medical judgment," said Tony West, assistant attorney general for DOJ's Civil Division.
Thirty-four percent of respondents said they have an infection control plan to increase interventions in the event of an outbreak of CDI, a condition frequently associated with previous antibiotic use and most commonly contracted by the elderly and those with recent exposure to hospitals, nursing homes, and other health care institutions.
The 2010 IFMA conference will take place in late October at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. Alexis Herman, who was secretary of Labor during Bill Clinton's administration, is the keynote speaker.
The violations occurred primarily because employees were not compensated for all hours worked when the company failed to pay for breaks that were less than 30 minutes in length, or for time spent by employees waiting for work areas to become available even though their shifts already had started.
The Connecticut-based metal finishing company also was cited for not establishing a regulated work area and ensuring contaminated protective clothing remained in the work area, and for not conducting cadmium exposure sampling.
The 33 serious violations include a lack of training, electrical hazards, inadequate personal protective equipment, failing to implement an adequate hazard communication and respiratory protection program, and failing to properly handle confined spaces.
OSHA issued citations for, among other things, failing to ensure workers were not exposed to noise levels at or above 85 decimals and to adequately protect employees from exposure to hazardous chemicals such as formaldehyde.
Clean and healthy hands depend on clean and healthy soap.
The company was cited for violations at its Parsippany, N.J., worksite, which it shares with Salonika Associates LLC, also cited after a Site-Specific Targeting Program inspection.
EPA conducted an inspection of the company’s warehouse to determine its compliance with the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. The inspection found several alleged violations, including storage of waste pharmaceuticals, including hazardous wastes, without a proper permit.
"All modes of freight transportation were impacted by the 'Great Recession,' but I'm growing more optimistic about the long-term outlook," said ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello. "There are certainly some risks, but I think better days do lie ahead for the freight hauling business."
Inspections at the facility found improper bloodborne pathogens control, amputation hazards, noncompliant confined space entry, improper storage of fuel and oxygen, and more.
The three-hour programs, designed to help prevent noise-induced hearing loss among workers, are set to take place in Dallas, San Antonio, Corpus Christi, and Houston, June 7-10, respectively.
Within the past five years, OSHA has conducted more than 900 inspections at USPS facilities across the country and has issued more than 600 citations.
After an investigation, OSHA ordered the rapid transit company to take corrective action, including expunging disciplinary actions and references to them from various records as well as compensating the worker for lost wages resulting from the suspension.
“Although Pineville Lumber agreed to correct these violations, the company failed to follow through, leaving its employees exposed to workplace hazards that could result in serious injury or illness,” said Jeff Funke, director of OSHA’s Charleston Area Office.
The Truck Safety Coalition will present the honor May 11 at the Sleep Apnea & Trucking Conference in Baltimore.
"These informal stakeholder meetings and written comments from stakeholders will help give OSHA direction to develop innovative ideas that will allow employers, workers and researchers to participate in improving occupational safety and health through the use of occupational injury and illness data," said OSHA chief Dr. David Michaels.
The MIOSHA investigation found the building was not completely inspected for asbestos. As a result, a major asbestos fiber release episode occurred, potentially exposing employees and building tenants to asbestos.