March 15, 2016

A serial OSHA offender, Wisconsin contractor continues to risk workers’ safety

EDGERTON, Wis. ‒ Some may argue the belief that the number “13” brings misfortune is just superstition, but there is no doubt that fall safety violations by a Wisconsin roofing contractor found in 13 inspections in 10 years are a tragedy waiting to happen. Falls are a leading cause of death in the construction industry, accounting for nearly 40 percent of fatalities in 2014.

March 15, 2016

Assistance in Bridgeton, Missouri for current, former nuclear weapons workers, families, survivors to claim benefits, check claim status

Event: The U.S. Department of Labor will host a two-day outreach event for current and former nuclear weapons workers, and their families and survivors in Bridgeton, Missouri, on Tuesday, March 29 and Wednesday, March 30.

March 15, 2016

Ohio contractor continues to risk safety of siding installers

AVON, Ohio ‒ Each time a worker mounts a scaffold they risk a dangerous fall, the leading causing of death in the construction industry. One in four who died working in the construction industry in 2014 died in a fall.

March 15, 2016

OSHA cites Lunda Construction again after death of 18-year-old apprentice at the Bong Bridge resurfacing project, 3rd fatality on Lunda site since 2012

SUPERIOR, Wis. — An 18-year-old man lost his life just three months after starting work for Lunda Construction Company. The carpenter’s apprentice was mixing concrete for the Richard I. Bong Memorial Bridge resurfacing project when a rough-terrain forklift struck and killed him. The bridge spans St. Louis Bay between Superior and Duluth, Minnesota. Since 2012, three workers have died while working on Lunda highway construction projects.

March 15, 2016

Labor Department obtains judgment and order against Carolina Crawler & Equipment of Charleston Inc. to restore employee contributions to the company’s SIMPLE IRA plan

Date of Action: March 11, 2016

Type of Action: Consent Judgment and Order

Name of Defendants: Carolina Crawler & Equipment of Charleston Inc., Susan Mills, Glenn Perry Mills, Carolina Crawler & Equipment SIMPLE IRA Plan

March 14, 2016

Sugar Land oil and gas services provider to pay $225K in back wages, damages after US Labor Department investigation

Employer: Plant Engineering Services LLC

Site: 1 Fluor Daniel Drive, Sugar Land, Texas

March 14, 2016

Oil, gas industry workers in 9 states owed more than $1.6M in back wages ongoing Labor Department enforcement initiative finds

DALLAS – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division has added four companies and an additional $1.6 million in back wages for more than 2,500 employees as its effort to improve labor law compliance in the oil and gas industry continues.

March 14, 2016

OSHA orders JP Morgan Chase Bank to reinstate fired operations manager who raised concerns about financial transactions’ validity

NEW YORK – JP Morgan Chase Bank terminated a loan delivery operations manager at its Iselin, New Jersey offices illegally after he raised concerns about financial transactions to his superiors, a whistleblower investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has found.

March 14, 2016

US Labor Department investigation results in judgment against Phoenix-based Colmenero’s Pallets

PHOENIX – The U.S. Department of Labor sued a Phoenix-based pallet manufacturer after an investigation found that the company employed a combination of tactics to circumvent federal labor laws, including using fictitious names for workers, improperly labeling others as ‘vendors,’ and routinely destroying time cards at the end of each pay period.

March 14, 2016

Recycling company faces $84K in fines after failing to correct previously cited workplace safety hazards

Employer name: ALSS Recycling Inc.

Inspection site: 2600 Republic Blvd., Birmingham, Alabama 35203

March 14, 2016

Department initiative finds $413K in back wages for nearly 400 workers

TAMPA, Fla. – Assisted living facilities are often judged by how well they care for their patients – but how well are they caring for their workers?

March 10, 2016

Dollar General store in Georgia continues to ignore entrapment and fire hazards despite recent OSHA citations, penalties

Employer name: Dollar General Corporation

Inspection site: 203 Wedowee St., Bowdon, Georgia 30108

Citations issued: The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued citations to the employer on March 07 for two repeated and one serious safety violation.

March 10, 2016

Orange County recycler to pay workers $200K in back wages, penalties

Employers: Garcia Recycling Center & Metals, Inc.

Sites: 631 S. Main St., Santa Ana, California
2429 W. McFadden Ave., Santa Ana, California
13862 Seaboard Circle, Garden Grove, California

March 10, 2016

Award of $2M National Dislocated Worker Grant will assist 10 Arkansas counties in 2015-16 winter storm recovery

State: Arkansas

Type of Award: National Dislocated Worker Grant

Award Amount Approved/Released: $2,045,788

Funding Awarded to: Arkansas Department of Workforce Services

Number of Workers Served: Approximately 107

March 10, 2016

OSHA cites Serwas Window Cleaning Services after 20-year-old window washer falls to death

OSHKOSH, Wis. ‒ A 20-year-old window washer fell more than 58 feet to his death because his safety lines were not properly tied off, federal inspectors found.

March 10, 2016

Alabama worker’s injury at a Pilgrim’s Pride Corp. processing plant brings OSHA citations, penalties for the poultry producer

Employer name: Pilgrim’s Pride Corp.

Investigation site: 2045 Highway 244, Russellville, Alabama 35653

Citations issued: The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued citations to the employer on March 07 for one repeated and one serious safety violation.

March 10, 2016

Berlin Builders continues to expose workers to life-threatening falls, other safety hazards at Southern New Jersey worksites

CINNAMINSON, N.J. – Workers of Berlin Builders, a residential construction contractor with projects throughout Southern New Jersey, are a step away from a serious injury or worse because their employer routinely exposes them to dangerous falls by ignoring safety standards that are required by law.

March 10, 2016

Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report

In the week ending March 5, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 259,000, a decrease of 18,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised down by 1,000 from 278,000 to 277,000. The 4-week moving average was 267,500, a decrease of 2,500 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised down by 250 from 270,250 to 270,000.

March 9, 2016

Popular DC hotel exposes employees to more than two dozen workplace safety, health hazards; faces $76K in fines

Employer: Wardman Hotel LLC, doing business as Marriott Wardman Park Hotel

Site: 2600 Woodley Road, N.W., Washington, D.C.

Citations issued: On Feb. 24, 2016, the U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued citations for 12 serious and 14 other-than-serious violations.

March 9, 2016

OSHA inspectors find prison workers at two West Virginia federal facilities still lack safety gloves to prevent sharps-related hazards

Employers:  U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Correctional Center Hazelton

U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Correctional Institution McDowell

Inspection sites:  Hazelton FCC, 1640 Sky View Drive, Bruceton Mills, West Virginia

McDowell FCI, 101 Federal Drive, Welch, West Virginia