MONROE, NY – The U.S. Department of Labor has cited six construction employers for willful and serious safety violations involving excavation hazards at the site of a planned 408,000 square-foot mixed-use commercial building and proposed a combined $648,094 in penalties. 

The department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration responded to an allegation of struck-by and collapse hazards associated with a large excavation at the Monroe Commons project – also known as Magna Square development – a planned 4-story, approximately 408,000 square-foot mixed-use commercial building with retail, office space, and a 39-room hotel located on an 18-acre site. The excavation had a steep, unstable embankment nearly 75 feet high which was not adequately sloped or shored. 

OSHA issued a total of 23 serious and five willful citations to the project’s general contractor and five subcontractors for failing to protect employees from cave-in, struck-by, and chemical hazards; neglecting to shield employees from falling or rolling rock and soil from an excavation face; and not ensuring daily inspections of excavations were conducted by a competent person. 

Advanced Plan and Build LLC, and subcontractors Parkstone Inc. and Obstacle Systems Inc. – operating as Drip Drop Waterproofing Inc. – and The Paving Masters LLC received citations for willfully exposing employees to cave-in and struck-by hazards from an unprotected excavation. OSHA also cited Advanced Plan and Build and The Paving Masters for their willful failure to ensure that the excavation, which was between 21 and 75 feet deep, was designed by a registered professional engineer. 

Subcontractors Century Max Industries Corp., DelValle Contractor, and Prime Structure Inc. were cited for serious violations for failing to protect employees from cave-in and struck-by hazards. DelValle and Parkstone Inc. and Obstacle Systems Inc. also received citations for serious violations related to lack of fall protection and chemical hazards.

OSHA proposed the following penalties: Advanced Plan and Build LLC—$175,444; Century Max Industries Corp.—$46,340; DelValle Contractor—$19,151; Parkstone Inc. and Obstacle Systems Inc.—$198,615; Prime Structure Inc.—$19,860; and The Paving Masters LLC—$188,684. 

The employers have 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. Please check the OSHA establishment search page periodically for any changes in the inspection or penalty status.

Visit OSHA’s website to learn about keeping workers safe around trenching and excavations. Employers can also contact the agency for information about OSHA’s compliance assistance resources and for free help on complying with OSHA standards.

CHAMBERSBURG, PA – The U.S. Department of Labor has cited an excavation contractor for willful and serious safety violations after a young worker was fatally injured in a trench collapse. 

The department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration opened an investigation into Jonas David Wagoner – doing business as J.D. Wagoner Excavating – on April 2, 2026, and found workers were installing a storm sewer system 12 feet below ground level in a trench that was not adequately protected from soil collapse. When a portion of the trench's wall failed, the unrestrained soil engulfed one worker. The agency issued a willful violation for failure to protect workers from cave-ins and two repeat violations for failing to assign a competent person to conduct daily trench inspections and removing employees from hazardous conditions.

In addition, the employer received three serious violations for failure to provide construction hazard prevention training to employees, establish a safe means for workers to exit the excavation site, keep materials at least two feet from the edge of an excavation site, and restrain side materials from becoming roll-in hazards.   

OSHA proposed $254,884 in penalties. 

The employer has 15 business days from receiving receipt of its citations and penalties to request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. Please check the OSHA establishment search page periodically for any changes in the inspection or penalty status.

Visit OSHA’s website to learn about keeping workers safe around trenching and excavations. Employers can also contact the agency for information about OSHA’s compliance assistance resources and for free help on complying with OSHA standards.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration today announced the award approximately $10.2 million in grant funds to 67 organizations across the nation to support education and training focused on worker safety to help employees and employers recognize serious workplace hazards and employ safety and health programs.

Funded through the Susan Harwood Training Grant Program, the grants aim to advance worker safety and health by providing instructor-led training opportunities for workers and employers in small businesses with an emphasis on industries with high injury, illness, and fatality rates.

The grants will fund training and education on hazard awareness, prevention, and controls to protect workers from on-the-job hazards through the development of quality classroom-ready training and educational materials that identify and prevent workplace hazards.

The grants honor the legacy and work of Dr. Susan Harwood who, during her 17 years with OSHA, developed workplace safety guidelines for benzene, formaldehyde, bloodborne pathogens and lead in the construction industry. Harwood was also primary author of OSHA’s cotton dust standard which virtually eliminated byssinosis – a lung disease that causes asthma-like symptoms – among textile workers.

Learn more about the Susan Harwood Training Grant Program and 2026 awardees.

LITTLE ROCK, AR – A U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration whistleblower investigation has concluded that Union Pacific Railroad Co. violated the Federal Railroad Safety Act when it removed from service and later terminated a North Little Rock yardman who notified management of nearby lightning and federal safety standards. 

OSHA determined that the employee voiced concerns about nearby lightning, cited OSHA and NOAA lightening safety guidelines, initiated a safety stand-down, and refused to work until the storm passed. Within minutes of the stand-down, Union Pacific removed the employee from service and was later charged with insubordination. Union Pacific terminated his employment on May 30, 2024.

On June 10, 2026, OSHA ordered Union Pacific to remove from the employee’s employment records any reference of the incident, and pay back wages, lost benefits, compensatory and punitive damages totaling at least $304,869, and attorney’s fees. Union Pacific filed objections to OSHA’s order and has requested a hearing before a U.S. Department of Labor Administrative Law Judge.

OSHA’s Whistleblower Protection Program enforces 25 whistleblower statutes that protect employees from retaliation for reporting violations of workplace airline, anti-money laundering, commercial motor carrier, consumer product, criminal antitrust, environmental, financial reform, food safety, health insurance reform, maritime, motor vehicle safety, nuclear, pipeline, public transportation agency, railroad, safety and health, securities, and tax laws.

Editor’s note: The U.S. Department of Labor does not release the names of employees involved in whistleblower complaints.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration today released a fact sheet to help employers and workers rapidly respond to opioid-related overdose emergencies in the workplace.

Opioid emergencies can happen anywhere, including at work, and being prepared can help save a life. OSHA’s new guidance, “Opioid Overdose Rescue with Reversal Medications,” is part of the Great American Recovery Initiative, a government-wide effort by the Trump Administration prioritizing addiction treatment and recovery. The fact sheet provides practical information that focuses on empowering workplaces to recognize the signs of an overdose and act immediately.

“President Trump has charged the Department of Labor with making recovery part of our workforce strategy, helping more individuals return to work and ensuring our businesses have the workers they need,” said Acting Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling. “Today’s guidance, released as part of President Trump’s Great American Recovery Initiative, is exactly the kind of action we were tasked with delivering on for the American people.”

“President Trump has been fighting back against the deadly synthetic opioids infecting the entire illicit drug supply, from known illicit drugs to counterfeit tablets sold on the street or through fake online pharmacies,” said White House Drug Czar Sara Carter. “Because fentanyl has infiltrated the illicit drug landscape and acts as a chemical weapon against our people, it is critically important that the American workforce is familiar with drug overdose recognition and reversal. I am grateful to the Department of Labor for informing employers and workers about life-saving overdose reversal treatments like naloxone.”

OSHA’s fact sheet highlights key opioid overdose preparedness strategies, including:

• Keep lifesaving FDA-approved reversal medications – such as naloxone or nalmefene – on hand. These safe, life-saving medications quickly restore normal breathing and generally have no effect if opioids are not present.
• Treat overdose kits like first aid by storing them in highly visible, easily accessible locations, just like automated external defibrillators or standard first-aid kits.
• Educate workers on how to identify critical symptoms of an overdose, such as slow or stopped breathing, blue lips or skin, pinpoint pupils, or unresponsiveness.
• Prepare for rapid action in an emergency by training workers to administer the medication, safely position the individual, and provide supportive care while waiting for first responders.

OSHA’s guidance emphasizes that while these medications are critical, they do not replace emergency services. Workplace responders should always call 911 immediately because the medication’s effects are temporary and professional medical care is still required.

The Department of Labor is committed to supporting workers’ safety and health on the job, along with partners at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and other agencies.

Read the Opioid Overdose Rescue with Reversal Medications fact sheet.

Learn more about OSHA.

SICKLERVILLE, NJ – The U.S. Department of Labor has cited a New Jersey car wash service for willfully exposing workers to safety hazards related to hazardous energy and excessive noise levels, proposing $446,864 in penalties.

The department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration found that ModWash LLC, an express car wash service operating multiple locations throughout the country, including five in Sicklerville, willfully exposed workers to hazardous energy by failing to lock out equipment prior to conducting maintenance activities and not using energy control procedures. 

The agency also cited ModWash for two repeat violations for failing to have clear lockout procedures and specific instructions for controlling all energy sources and not training employees on equipment lockout/tagout processes. 

In addition, the employer was cited for five serious violations for failing to develop and implement a noise monitoring program, establish a baseline audiogram for employees within six months of exposure, train employees exposed to noise above 85 decibels, provide lockout/tagout devices, and attach such devices to machines prior to servicing them.

The company has 15 business days from receipt of their citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. Check the OSHA establishment search page periodically for any changes in the inspection or penalty status.

Visit OSHA’s website for information on developing a workplace safety and health program. Employers can also contact the agency for information about OSHA’s compliance assistance resources and for free help on complying with OSHA standards.  

ORLANDO, FL – The U.S. Department of Labor has cited an Orlando-based pipeline installation contractor for willfully exposing employees to safety hazards after an incident claimed the life of a worker at a New Smyrna Beach worksite in March 2026.

The department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration found that on March 17, 2026, T & T Pipeline Co. Inc. employees were replacing a drill bit on a horizontal drilling machine when the pipe stem began to rotate and fatally struck the employee.

OSHA cited the employer with a willful violation for exposing employees to struck-by hazards when working on a horizontal directional drilling machine and proposed $165,514 in penalties. 

The company has 15 business days from receipt of their citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. 

Visit OSHA’s website for information on developing a workplace safety and health program. Employers can also contact the agency for information about OSHA’s compliance assistance resources and for free help on complying with OSHA standards.

CHICAGO – The U.S. Department of Labor has cited a Calumet City-based residential construction and carpentry employer after two separate investigations into its continued failure to provide fall protection for workers. 

The department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigated two worksites operated by Martin Araujo – doing business as Araujo Construction Corp. – and found that carpenters and general construction laborers were installing roof rafters and roof sheeting without fall protection, exposing them to falls of up to 25 feet. 

OSHA cited Araujo Construction with two willful violations for not providing fall protection, while working from heights during residential construction at the two worksites. OSHA also cited the employer with nine repeat safety violations for failing to provide head and eye protection, lacking handrails on stairways, and failing to make sure ladders extended three feet above access areas. Additionally, OSHA issued a serious violation to Araujo Construction for not having safe access to a platform, and an other-than-serious violation for lacking training certifications. 

OSHA proposed $265,868 in combined penalties.

Martin Araujo has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. Please check the OSHA establishment search page periodically for any changes in the inspection or penalty status.  

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to ensure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. See OSHA’s website for more information.

WATSONTOWN, PA – The U.S. Department of Labor has cited a brick manufacturer with three willful and four serious violations for knowingly exposing its workers to unsafe levels of respirable silica dust at its Watsontown plant.

On Feb. 12, 2026, investigators with the department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspected General Shale Brick Inc. – doing business as Watsontown Brick Company – as part of the agency’s Site‑Specific Targeting inspection plan and national emphasis program on silica as well as a review of the company’s injury and illness records. OSHA found that workers in Plant 3, where molded brick is made, breathed in silica dust above safe limits. The company knew about the exposure but failed to fix the problem or require workers to wear respirators.

OSHA also determined the company failed to test workers’ respirator fit each year, did not establish regulated areas where employees are exposed to silica, did not check silica exposure levels for all silica-involved jobs, and did not provide required medical exams for workers exposed to silica for more than 30 days a year. A past violation for missing respirator fit tests, at the company’s Augusta, Georgia site, led to an added repeat violation.

OSHA issued three willful, four serious, one repeat, and one other-than-serious violation, with proposed penalties of $496,528.

The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. Check the OSHA establishment search page periodically for any changes in the inspection or penalty status.

Learn more about protecting workers from silica hazards. Employers can also contact the agency for free help meeting OSHA safety standards.

JANESVILLE, WI – The U.S. Department of Labor has cited a Wisconsin-based food products manufacturer after two incidents involving industrial kettles releasing hot steam and liquid, causing three worker deaths and two serious injuries.

Investigators with the department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration responded to the first incident on Feb. 12, 2026, at IPMF LLC, operating as NaturPak. The incident involved the lid of an industrial kettle unexpectedly opening after a clogged vent line led to pressure building up, and then releasing steam, liquid, and organic material onto two employees nearby. One of the employees was also struck by an object and suffered a concussion. Both employees were hospitalized, and one later passed away because of complications from their injuries. 

A month later, OSHA investigators responded to another incident involving multiple worker hospitalizations on March 18, when a kettle lid opened while under pressure releasing steam, hot liquid, and organic material, burning three workers. Two workers were fatally injured and another hospitalized. 

OSHA issued the employer one serious citation for the design and usage of kettles leading to pressure and thermal burn hazards; a repeat citation for exposing workers to falls to lower levels; and an other-than-serious citation for failing to notify employees working adjacent to permit-required confined spaces.

OSHA also issued serious citations for exposing workers to thermal hazards without quick access to emergency water. The employer also received citations for exposing workers to falls into the kettles and for failure to assess personal protective equipment for thermal risks. In addition, OSHA issued repeat citations for failure to develop, document, and utilize lockout/tagout procedures for the kettles and failure to train employees on lockout/tagout procedures. 

The agency issued citations with $115,850 in penalties related to the inspection opened on Feb. 12 and $248,250 in penalties for the inspection opened on March 18.  

IPMF LLC has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. Please check the OSHA establishment search page periodically for any changes in the inspection or penalty status.