December 28, 2011

US Department of Labor's OSHA finds 50 violations at Huntington Ingalls shipyard in Mississippi, proposes more than $176,000 in penalties

PASCAGOULA, Miss. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited government contractor Huntington Ingalls Industries International Shipbuilding Inc. and five subcontractors for a total of 50 safety and health violations. OSHA opened its inspection after receiving a complaint in June about safety hazards at the Pascagoula shipyard.

December 28, 2011

US Department of Labors OSHA proposes more than $1 million in fines to Houston, Texas, employer for willful and serious violations

Piping Technology and Products misled OSHA about amputation hazards

HOUSTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Piping Technology and Products Inc. for 13 willful and 17 serious violations for exposing workers to the risk of amputations and other serious injuries from dangerous machinery, as well as other hazards, at the company's Houston facility. Proposed penalties total $1,013,000.

December 20, 2011

US Labor Departments OSHA orders Neb.-based Union Pacific Railroad Co. to reinstate, pay more than $300,000 to terminated whistleblower employee in Idaho

SEATTLE – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has ordered Omaha, Neb.-based Union Pacific Railroad Co. to immediately reinstate an employee in Idaho who was terminated after reporting a work-related injury. OSHA also has ordered the company to pay the employee more than $300,000 in back wages, compensatory damages, attorney's fees and punitive damages.

December 8, 2011

US Department of Labor continues to cite beauty salons and manufacturers for formaldehyde exposure from hair smoothing products

OSHA urges salon owners to implement protective measures

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration is continuing its efforts to protect workers from the dangers of formaldehyde exposure.

December 6, 2011

US Department of Labor settles litigation against grain bin operator in July 2010 deaths of 2 teens in Mount Carroll, Ill.

CHICAGO – The U.S. Department of Labor has reached an agreement with Haasbach LLC in Mount Carroll, resolving 25 citations issued by the department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration and child labor civil money penalties assessed by its Wage and Hour Division. The resolution follows the deaths of Wyatt Whitebread, 14, and Alex Pacas, 19, at the company's Mt. Carroll grain bin facility in July 2010. A 20-year-old worker also was seriously injured in the incident.

November 21, 2011

OSHA cites Guam golf club for workplace hazards

Employer faces nearly $33,000 in proposed fines

SAN FRANCISCO – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Guam International Country Club for 17 alleged workplace safety violations found during an inspection at the club's maintenance shop in Dededo, Guam. Proposed fines total $32,900.

November 17, 2011

OSHA assistant secretary encourages retailers to provide crowd management measures to protect workers during major sales events

Audio file with remarks can be downloaded to air on radio

WASHINGTON – Dr. David Michaels, assistant secretary of labor for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, is encouraging retail employers to take precautions to prevent worker injuries during Black Friday and other major sales events during the holiday season.

Michaels' comments are available to radio stations for broadcast. To download the audio file, visit

November 9, 2011

US Department of Labors OSHA cites Illinois pet food production and packaging company for 23 health and safety violations; fines exceed $750,000

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration is encouraging major retail employers to take precautions to prevent worker injuries during Black Friday and other major sales events during the holiday season.

November 9, 2011

Statement from Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA on increase of nonfatal occupational injuries among health care workers

OSHA to focus on improving safety and health at nursing home facilities

November 2, 2011

US Department of Labors OSHA announces interim final rules and invites public comment on Sarbanes-Oxley whistleblower procedures

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration will publish interim final rules in the Nov. 3 Federal Register that revise the regulations governing whistleblower complaints filed under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

November 2, 2011

US Department of Labors OSHA cites Illinois pet food production and packaging company for 23 health and safety violations; fines exceed $750,000

All-Feed Processing & Packaging failed to protect workers from dust and noise exposure

October 24, 2011

Trenching hazards result in citations, more than $69,000 in proposed fines for South Florida contractor from US Department of Labor's OSHA

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Corpus Christi Grain Co. in Corpus Christi for six willful and 20 serious violations with total proposed penalties of $258,900. OSHA's Corpus Christi Area Office initiated its inspection at the company's facility on Talbert Lane after it was reported that a worker was engulfed while emptying grain from a storage bin. The employee was rescued due to the exceptional efforts of the Corpus Christi Fire Department.

October 24, 2011

US Department of Labor's OSHA cites Grenada, Miss., plant for amputation hazards and other safety violations, proposes more than $113,000 in fines

GRENADA, Miss. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Grenada Stamping and Assembly Inc., doing business as Ice Industries Grenada, for 26 safety violations carrying proposed fines of $113,400. In April, OSHA officials opened an inspection at the facility under the agency's national emphasis program on amputations after learning of a work-related amputation.

October 24, 2011

Trenching hazards result in citations, more than $69,000 in proposed fines for South Florida contractor from US Department of Labor's OSHA

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Corpus Christi Grain Co. in Corpus Christi for six willful and 20 serious violations with total proposed penalties of $258,900. OSHA's Corpus Christi Area Office initiated its inspection at the company's facility on Talbert Lane after it was reported that a worker was engulfed while emptying grain from a storage bin. The employee was rescued due to the exceptional efforts of the Corpus Christi Fire Department.

October 20, 2011

US Labor Department's OSHA cites Saginaw, Texas, grain handling facility of Minnesota company for 17 serious safety violations; fines total $57,000

SAGINAW, Texas – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Minneapolis-based Horizon Milling LLC for 17 serious violations for exposing workers to multiple safety hazards at the company's facility in Saginaw. Proposed penalties total $57,000.

"Employers are responsible for protecting workers from injuries and illnesses," said Jack Rector, OSHA's area director in Fort Worth. "It is very fortunate that no one was hurt at this facility."

October 20, 2011

US Labor Department's OSHA cites Corpus Christi, Texas-based grain elevator operator following bin entrapment

BROOKSHIRE, Texas – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited M-Power Chemicals LC in Brookshire for 14 serious and two other-than-serious violations, including exposing employees to respiratory and combustible dust hazards. Proposed penalties total $54,600.

"This company jeopardized the safety and health of its workers by exposing them to respiratory and combustible dust hazards," said David Doucet, director of OSHA's Houston North Area Office. "Long-term exposure to dust can lead to disabling illnesses."

October 19, 2011

US Department of Labor's OSHA cites America's Fiberglass Animals in Minden, Neb., for failure-to-abate, repeat and serious violations

MINDEN, Neb. – he U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited America's Fiberglass Animals for eight repeat and seven serious violations of safety and health standards found during an inspection at the company's manufacturing facility in Minden, which was conducted as a follow-up after the company moved operations from Hastings. Two failure-to-abate notices also were issued because the company had not corrected employee respiratory hazards cited at the Hastings location. Proposed fines total $169,260.

October 19, 2011

US Department of Labor's OSHA cites M-Power Chemicals in Brookshire, Texas, for respiratory, combustible dust and other hazards

BROOKSHIRE, Texas – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited M-Power Chemicals LC in Brookshire for 14 serious and two other-than-serious violations, including exposing employees to respiratory and combustible dust hazards. Proposed penalties total $54,600.

"This company jeopardized the safety and health of its workers by exposing them to respiratory and combustible dust hazards," said David Doucet, director of OSHA's Houston North Area Office. "Long-term exposure to dust can lead to disabling illnesses."

October 18, 2011

Statement from Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis on reported decline in workplace injuries and illnesses

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics today announced that nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses among private industry employers declined in 2010 to a rate of 3.5 cases per 100 equivalent full-time workers, down from a total case rate of 3.6 in 2009. Nearly 3.1 million injuries and illnesses were reported among private sector industry employers in 2010, down from 3.3 million reported in 2009. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis issued the following statement: