April 2, 2015

OSHA News Brief: OSHA cites South Carolina contractor for exposing workers to cave-in and struck-by hazards at work site in Pooler, Georgia [04/02/2015]

Employer name: Jordan Construction Co. of Hilton Head Inc.

Inspection site: At the time of the inspection, workers were installing sewer lines at the intersection of North and West Godley Station Roads, Pooler, Georgia 31322.

Date inspection initiated: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration initiated the Oct. 8, 2014 inspection as part of the agency's National Emphasis Program on Trenching and Excavation.

April 2, 2015

OSHA News Brief: Workers exposed to asbestos hazards at A.M. Castle & Co. in Franklin Park [04/02/2015]

Employer name: A.M. Castle & Co.

Investigation site: 3400 N. Wolf Road, Franklin Park, IL, 60131

April 2, 2015

OSHA News Brief: USPS mail processing center again cited by OSHA for fire extinguisher, electrical violations at St. Louis facility [04/02/2015]

Employer name: United States Postal Service

Investigation site: 1720 Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri

Date investigation initiated and what prompted inspection: On Jan.13, 2015, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration initiated an inspection of a United States Postal Service mail processing site after receiving a complaint alleging unsafe working conditions at the facility.

April 2, 2015

OSHA News Release: OSHA updates guidance for protecting healthcare and social service workers from workplace violence [04/02/2015]

WASHINGTON — In 2013, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported more than 23,000 significant injuries due to assault at work. More than 70 percent of these assaults were in healthcare and social service settings. Health care and social service workers are almost four times as likely to be injured as a result of violence than the average private sector worker.

April 2, 2015

OSHA News Release: Aluminum foundry exposes workers to chlorine gas and other hazards [04/02/2015]

Custom Alloy Sales 34P faces more than $160K in fines for 31 safety and health violations

PRESCOTT, Kan. — Workers risked exposure to dangerous chlorine gas while forging blocks of metal material at an aluminum foundry in Prescott because their employer did not train them on how to handle and store the gas, U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspectors found. Improperly used, chlorine gas can cause severe respiratory damage.

April 1, 2015

OSHA News Brief: USPS cited for electrical hazards at Chicago's Clark Street distribution center [04/01/2015]

Employer name: United States Postal Service

Investigation site: 2643 N. Clark, Chicago, IL 60614

Date investigation initiated and what prompted inspection: On Jan. 14, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Chicago North Area Office initiated an inspection of the mail sorting facility after receiving a complaint alleging unsafe working conditions.

April 1, 2015

OSHA News Brief: Lack of cave-in protections led to trench collapse, Bednar Landscape workers' deaths in Boonton [04/01/2015]

Employer name and location: Bednar Landscape Services Inc., located at 501 Division Street in Boonton, New Jersey. The company provides landscape, excavation and snow removal services throughout northern New Jersey.

March 31, 2015

OSHA News Brief: OSHA fines Dayton, New Jersey, companies $64,200 after investigation finds blocked exit routes and chemical, noise and energy control hazards [03/31/2015]

Employers name and location: Imagine Screen Printing & Productions LLC, which imprints graphic design images onto apparel such as t-shirts and sweatshirts. Central Mills Inc., doing business as Freeze, sorts, packs and distributes the apparel to some of the nation's largest retailers, including Walmart, Macy's and Target.

Both companies are located at 473 Ridge Road in Dayton, New Jersey, and have the same management, maintenance employees and safety departments.

March 30, 2015

OSHA News Release: Wood pellet manufacturer ignores serious safety hazards and fines, places workers at repeated risk of amputation and fire [03/30/2015]

NIAGARA, Wis. — For the fifth time in the past three years, U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspectors found workers at Wood Fibers Inc. at risk of amputation, fire and other life-threatening hazards in October 2014. Despite OSHA's effort, the company has failed to provide proof that hazards had been fixed or pay penalties from previous inspections.

March 30, 2015

OSHA News Release: Food warehouse avoids potential for catastrophic incident [03/30/2015]

HONOLULU — After two years of litigation to correct dozens of hazards that might have had catastrophic effects on its workers and the surrounding community, Unicold Corp. has agreed to make health and safety improvements at its refrigerated food warehouse in Honolulu. The company will also end its fight against $197,000 in penalties assessed in 2013 by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

March 30, 2015

OSHA News Release: Koser Iron Works faces penalties of more than $102K for exposing workers to machine, fire and explosion hazards, lack of training [03/30/2015]

BARRON, Wis. — Once again, workers were exposed to dangerous amputation hazards while fabricating metal products because safety mechanisms were not in place at Koser Iron Works Inc. Responding to a complaint, inspectors from the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration found during an inspection initiated on Oct. 1, 2014, two willful, four repeated and 12 serious safety violations, including lack of training and personal protective equipment.

March 27, 2015

OSHA News Release: Labor Secretary announces bulletin on preventing green tobacco sickness [03/27/2015]

WASHINGTON — Dehydration, dizziness, headaches and vomiting are just a few of the symptoms of nicotine poisoning, also known as "green tobacco sickness." Workers who plant, cultivate and harvest tobacco are particularly at risk. U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez today announced the release of a recommended practices bulletin with guidance on reducing the hazards for tobacco workers.

March 27, 2015

OSHA News Release: Jacksonville, Florida, roofing contractor ignores fact that fall protection can be the difference between life and death [03/27/2015]

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Since 2013, 294 workers have been killed by falls, the leading cause of death in the construction trade. These incidents can often be prevented when employers use proper safety protections. Unfortunately for its employees, Great White Construction Inc. has repeatedly put the safety of its workers at risk, the U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspectors found.

March 27, 2015

OSHA News Brief: Florida-based contractor exposes its workers to 200-foot falls and silica dust at two work sites; OSHA cites company for serious safety and health hazards [03/27/2015]

Employer name: Maxim Construction Group Corp. of Hallandale Beach, Florida.

Inspection sites: 230 174th Street Sunny Isles Beach, Florida 33160 1400 S. Ocean Drive, Hollywood, Florida 33019

Date investigation initiated: OSHA initiated the October 2, 2014 safety and health inspections after receiving complaints alleging fall hazards at two work sites.

March 26, 2015

OSHA News Brief: New Hampshire electrical contractor exposes employee to fall and electric shock hazards at Concord jobsite [03/26/2015]

Employer name: Daniels Electric Corp., an electrical contractor based in Gilford, New Hampshire.

Inspection site: 8 Loudon Rd., Concord, New Hampshire 03301.

Date inspection initiated: The inspection began Dec. 8, 2014. An OSHA inspector driving by the worksite observed a Daniels Electric Corp. employee without fall protection replacing a light fixture on the roof atop the Buffalo Wild Wings Restaurant. An inspection was immediately opened.

March 24, 2015

OSHA News Release: US Steel Corp.'s safety shortcuts lead to fatal explosion [03/24/2015]

FAIRFIELD, Ala. — Like most of us, Leo Bridges and Edward Bryant left for work one day in September 2014, probably thinking about some rest and relaxation when the shift ended. Like many, they figured their managers and employer would ensure they were safe at work. Bridges and Bryant were wrong; they were caught in a fiery explosion in the Flux Building, which U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspectors said occurred because U.S. Steel Corp. put workers at risk, so as not to slow production at its Fairfield facility.

March 23, 2015

OSHA News Release: Dollar General store allows blocked and locked exits, fire and other hazards, faces more than $83K in fines for repeated safety violations [03/23/2015]

BOWDON, Ga. — Dollar General Corp. has been cited again by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration, this time for four repeated safety violations found in a December 2014 inspection of the Bowdon store at 203 Wedowee St. OSHA initiated the inspection after receiving a complaint and has proposed penalties of $83,050.

March 23, 2015

OSHA News Release: Edsal Manufacturing repeatedly allows safety hazards, faces more than $294K in fines [03/23/2015]

CHICAGO — Left unguarded, dangerous machines with moving parts cause hundreds of thousands of workers to suffer finger, hand or foot amputations and other serious injuries each year in the United States. Despite these dangers, one Chicago-based manufacturer has repeatedly ignored the risks and has been found in violation of safety and health standards four times in the last five years.

March 19, 2015

OSHA News Brief: OSHA cites Georgia wood products manufacturer for exposing workers to fire, amputation and unprotected equipment hazards [03/19/2015]

Employer name: K.W. McAvoy & Son Inc.

Inspection site: 3500 Greensboro Road, Washington, Georgia 30673

Date investigation initiated: OSHA initiated the investigation on Nov. 5, 2014, after the agency received a complaint related to safety and health hazards at the facility.