SafetyNet News and Highlights

Wisconsin Corn Milling Facility Fined Over $1.8 Million after Fatal Grain Dust Explosion

Didion Milling Inc. faces $1,837,861 in proposed fines after five workers died and 12 others were injured in an explosion at the corn milling facility in Cambria, Wis. An OSHA investigation found that the company failed to correct an accumulation and leakage of highly combustible grain dust; maintain equipment to control ignition sources; provide employees with adequate personal protective equipment; and correct malfunctioning dust collection systems. Didion was cited for 14 willful and five serious violations, and placed in OSHA’s Severe Violator Enforcement Program. For more information, read the news release.

Pennsylvania Employer Pleads Guilty to Violating OSHA Regulation, Causing Worker’s Fatality
The owner of Pittsburgh-based business A Rooter Man pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of willfully violating an OSHA regulation, resulting in the death of a worker. In September 2015, an employee was fatally injured when the trench he was working in collapsed. The worker was replacing a sewer line 11 feet below the surface in unstable soil with no cave-in protection, at the direction of the company owner, Wayne George. George pleaded guilty to not taking protective measures against cave-ins before permitting employees to work in trenches. Sentencing, which could include prison, is scheduled for February 2018. For details, see the news release.

Two Florida Companies Cited Following Hazardous Chemical Release
OSHA inspectors responded to a hazardous incident at Tampa Electric Co.’s facility in Gibsonton, Florida, that sent four workers to the hospital. Inspectors determined that anhydrous ammonia, a chemical refrigerant, was released when a relief valve activated after a pipeline became over-pressurized. OSHA cited the company for failing to ensure that workers wore appropriate respiratory protection, and for not including all minimum requirements in their emergency response plan. Critical Intervention Services, a security services provider, was also cited for not training workers on hazardous chemicals, and failing to develop and implement a written hazard communication program. Proposed fines for both companies total $43,458. For more information, read the news release.

Washington State Cites Construction Company after Fatal Fall
The Washington Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) issued $115,740 in penalties to Sayde Construction Inc. for safety violations identified after a worker installing roof trusses fell about 20 feet to his death. DOSH inspectors determined that the company failed to provide appropriate fall protection and ensure that workers used it, and did not have a written fall protection plan. For more information, read thenews release.

OSHA, ISEA Team Up to Distribute Safety Equipment to Protect Hurricane Cleanup, Recovery Workers

Although the hurricanes are over, their impact continues with hazardous and unstable conditions for both residents, and cleanup and recovery workers. OSHA and the International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) are teaming up to coordinate and distribute much-needed personal protective equipment to hurricane-affected areas in Texas and the Caribbean Basin, including Puerto Rico. “OSHA’s goal is to keep workers and volunteers safe while they perform cleanup and recovery operations, and the ISEA is an important partner in these efforts,” said Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Loren Sweatt. Information on specific safety equipment and how to stay safe during storm cleanup and recovery can be found on OSHA’s Hurricane Preparedness and Response page, and on the ISEA Storm Cleanup: Safety Equipment Resource Center page.

Arizona Fines Air Conditioning Company for Safety Violations That Contributed to Worker Fatality
The Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health (ADOSH) issued $88,000 in penalties to Process Cooling International in Saint Helena for safety violations following the death of a worker who fell through a skylight. ADOSH inspectors concluded that the company failed to correct an imminent hazard, and failed to protect workers from potential fall hazards with skylight screens or guardrails.

OSHA Training Institute Celebrates 25th Anniversary of Education Centers
The OSHA Training Institute (OTI) is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its education center program this year. OTI Education Centers have grown from four to 39 non-profit organizations, offering training on OSHA standards, and occupational safety and health issues to workers and employers nationwide. During their 25-year history, the education centers have trained more than 600,000 students in areas of high injury and illness rates. To find the nearest education center, visit the OTI Education Center Locations page.

Pennsylvania Manufacturer Reduces Injuries with Help from OSHA’s On-Site Consultation Program

Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP). Consultation: An OSHA Cooperative Program

McGregor Industries Inc. operates a small business in Dunmore, Pa., that fabricates, delivers, and installs light structural and metal products for buildings, artistic projects, and anything requiring the shaping and finishing of metal. The company contacted OSHA’s On-Site Consultation Program for help improving its safety and health program. All hazards and violations identified through consultation visits were corrected, and employees were provided with more comprehensive training that included hazard identification and control. These and other improvements earned McGregor Industries acceptance into OSHA's Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program. Since becoming a SHARP participant, the company has been free of recordable injuries, is working to find new ways of reducing injuries, and has been able to secure better insurance for individual jobsites. For more information, see the company’s success story.

OSHA Partners With Two Texas Companies to Protect Workers During Construction Projects

Partnership - An OSHA Cooperative Program

OSHA’s Strategic Partnership Program provides opportunities for OSHA to partner with employers, workers, professional or trade associations, labor organizations, and other interested stakeholders. Strategic Partnerships are designed to eliminate serious hazards and enhance workplace safety and health practices in major corporations, government agencies, private sector industries, and at large construction projects.

OSHA’s Dallas Area Office and Whiting Turner Contracting Company signed a partnership to protect workers during the construction of a senior living high-rise complex. The goals of the partnership are to prevent work-related fatalities, reduce or eliminate serious workplace hazards, and establish an effective safety and health program.
OSHA’s Corpus Christi Area Office and McCarthy Building Companies are working together through a partnership to protect workers during a multi-building healthcare construction and renovation. The agreement is to address hazards within the construction industry and to promote and recognize company jobsites that have demonstrated effective safety and health programs.

OSHA Alliances with Dallas Consulates Aim to Improve Worker Safety and Health

The OSHA office in Dallas signed two-year Alliance agreements with foreign consulates to provide workers with guidance and access to education and training resources related to occupational safety and health, including the prevention of falls in construction. The Alliances were signed with the Consulate General of El Salvador in Dallas and the Consulate General of Mexico in Dallas.
The OSHA Alliance Program fosters collaborative relationships with groups committed to worker safety and health. Alliance partners help OSHA reach targeted audiences, such as employers and workers in high-hazard industries, giving them better access to workplace safety and health tools and information.

Marine Corps Facility Achieves High Rank in Safety and Health

OSHA Regional Administrator Richard Mendelson presents Lt. Colonel Daniel Murphy with a VPP flag and plaque indicating MCAF’s status as a Star worksite.

OSHA recognized Marine Corps Air Facility (MCAF) in Quantico, Va., for its achievements in workplace safety and health. OSHA Regional Director Richard Mendelson presented MCAF Commanding Officer Lt. Colonel Daniel Murphy with a plaque and flag signifying the facility’s Star Status in OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Programs. VPP recognizes employers and workers in the private sector and federal agencies who have implemented effective safety and health programs, and maintain injury and illness rates below national Bureau of Labor Statistics averages for their respective industries. Some of the innovations implemented by MCAF installation safety manager and VPP site coordinator Michael Hancock include a Command Safety Awards Program, Annual Risk Mitigation Plan, and a smartphone app that allows users to conduct self-inspections and report hazards.

Massachusetts Auto Auction and Staffing Agency Cited After Vehicle Collision Results in Multiple Fatalities
OSHA cited Lynnway Auto Auction Inc. for electrical, struck-by, and other hazards at its auto auction facility in Billerica, Mass., after five people were struck by a sport utility vehicle and died as a result of their injuries. OSHA issued 16 citations to the company for motor vehicle hazards, blocked exit routes, and other violations. Proposed penalties total $267,081. OSHA also cited the Dover, N.H., staffing agency, PeopleReady, with one serious violation and proposed a $12,675 penalty after the company exposed temporary workers to a struck-by hazard. For more information, read the news release.

Massachusetts Packaging Company and Staffing Agencies Reach Agreements to Enhance Workplace Safeguards
OSHA has reached agreements with three companies to correct workplace hazards and enhance safety following a May 2016 incident in which a worker was injected with a flammable propellant gas. Shield Packaging Co. Inc., of Dudley, Mass., which packages aerosol containers, failed to lock out the machine's power sources or train the worker on avoiding the hazard. The company agreed to pay $150,000 in penalties; provide proof that all hazards are corrected; retain an engineer to approve the design and installation of a safety mechanism on the machine that injured the worker; retain a qualified safety consultant to comprehensively inspect the plant; and develop a work place safety and health program.
OSHA also cited the two temporary staffing agencies that supplied more than half the workers at Shield Packaging. Each company agreed to pay more than $12,000 in penalties and implement several safety and health measures. For details, see the news release.

New York Supermarkets Cited Again for Exposing Workers to Safety and Health Hazards
Trade Fair Supermarkets has been cited for one serious and 10 repeat violations after OSHA inspectors found that the company exposed workers to safety and health hazards at three of its Queens, N.Y., locations. Inspectors found blocked exit routes and saw blades without safety guards, and a lack of eyewash stations. The company also failed to train workers, and provide safety data sheets for hazardous chemicals. Trade Fair was cited for similar violations in 2013. Proposed penalties total $505,929. See the news release for more information.

Nebraska Grain-Handling Cooperative Cited After Worker Entrapped in Grain Bin
OSHA cited a grain-handling cooperative in Raymond, Neb., for failing to protect workers from entrapment and engulfment hazards. OSHA issued two willful, one repeat, and four serious violations, proposed penalties of $373,911, and placed the company into the Severe Violator Enforcement Program. The company was previously cited for a similar violation at a different facility. Read the news release for more information.

Georgia Parts Manufacturer Cited After Injuries Reveal Hazards
Elringklinger USA Inc. has been cited for exposing workers to electrical, fall, and noise hazards. OSHA inspected the Buford-based auto parts manufacturer after an employee was injured while performing maintenance on a screen print machine. In another incident, a second worker suffered an amputation of the left index finger while making an adjustment on a punch press machine. Investigations of the incidents resulted in 29 serious and three other-than-serious violations, including failing to install machine guarding, preventing unauthorized employees from performing tasks that require the control of electrical hazards, and protecting workers from excessive noise exposure. For more information, see the news release.

Contractors in Montana Cited After Worker Suffers Severe Burns
OSHA cited Knife River a Billings, Mont., general contractor and Rock Springs, Wyo., subcontractor, Coleman Construction Inc. for exposing workers to numerous safety hazards, causing an employee to suffer severe burns. The subcontractor was issued $189,762 in proposed penalties after an employee suffered third-degree burns when compressed oxygen inside an underground duct caused a fire, and for failing to report the hospitalization of the burned employee in a timely manner, in addition to other violations. OSHA also cited the general contractor and proposed penalties of $59,754 for not ensuring that safety precautions were taken at the worksite. For more information, read the news release.

Washington State Cites Lumber Mill After Fatal Fall
The Washington Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) issued $112,000 in penalties to Sierra Pacific Industries in Aberdeen for safety violations identified after a worker fell more than 17 feet to his death. Inspectors determined that the company removed a permanent guardrail and replaced it with yellow caution tape. Inspectors found that the company failed to: provide workers with fall protection equipment; guard an open-sided elevated work platform; and train workers on fall hazards. Washington DOSH issued the company one willful and six serious citations. For more information, read the news release.

Industry groups form alliances with OSHA to better protect the safety and health of workers

The OSHA Alliance Program fosters collaborative relationships with groups committed to worker safety and health. Alliance partners help OSHA reach targeted audiences, such as employers and workers in high-hazard industries, and give them better access to workplace safety and health tools and information.

The Gulf Coast Safety Council renewed a three-year agreement to address safety and health hazards associated with the local petrochemical industry, including falls, equipment operation, and chemical hazard communication. The alliance has delivered training for contractors and business owners, reaching more than 39,500 people.
The Louisiana Forestry Association/Louisiana Logging Council renewed a three-year agreement to address safety and health hazards associated with the local logging industry, including struck-by, falls, caught-in-between, equipment operation, and environmental hazards. Last year more than 600 people attended 26 council chapter meetings held to help keep loggers informed about the industry hazards.
The DJ Basin Safety Council renewed a four-year agreement to address safety and health hazards in the upstream oil and gas industry, including hydrocarbon exposures, fires/explosions, falls, struck-by, and transportation/driving.
The American Society of Safety Engineers - Big Sky Chapter renewed a five-year agreement to address safety and health hazards, including woodworking and walking/working surfaces in general industry; and trenching/excavation, temporary workers, and falls in construction.

Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs

OSHA partners share tips for effective safety and health programs

From June 12-18, more than 100 organizations, many of which participate in OSHA’s Cooperative Programs, partnered with the agency for the first Safe + Sound Week promoting workplace safety and health programs. Kathi Dobson of the National Association of Women in Construction (an Alliance Program participant) and safety director at Alberici Constructors in St. Louis, led the company’s efforts to find and fix hazards before they caused injuries. These efforts included workers performing walk arounds to identify hazards before the start of each workday, and management tracking trends and incidents so that they can better respond to hazards. Learn more about Alberici’s safety journey and their tips for starting a safety and health program here.

Massachusetts psychiatric hospital cited after continuing to expose workers to serious hazards
OSHA issued $207,690 in proposed penalties to UHS of Westwood Pembroke, Inc. ' doing business as Lowell Treatment Center ' a behavioral health facility in Boston, for violations found while conducting a follow-up inspection. In June OSHA issued the center a notification of failure to abate a violation involving workplace violence following a serious violation related to the same hazards that inspectors found in 2015. As a result of the 2015 inspection, the employer and OSHA entered into a Formal Settlement Agreement that outlined specific provisions of a workplace violence prevention program. OSHA opened a follow-up inspection in January of this year after the center failed to provide documentation to show that it had implemented a workplace violence program, and the agency received a complaint alleging employees remained at risk. OSHA found the center had failed to comply with multiple terms of its agreement, and that ' despite previous citations and worker injuries ' the risks of workers suffering fatal injury or serious harm had not been adequately addressed. For more information, read the news release.

New Jersey aluminum manufacturer with history of safety violations receives $1.9M in penalties
Aluminum Shapes LLC in Delair, N.J., was cited for multiple safety and health violations after OSHA inspectors learned that employees were hospitalized following separate workplace incidents. In one incident employees suffered chemical burns and in a second occurrence a machine operator suffered a broken pelvis after being caught between unguarded machine parts. The aluminum manufacturing company was cited for 51 violations, including failure to: provide personal protective equipment; conduct air monitoring prior to entering a confined space; and train workers to use lockout/tagout procedures. Proposed penalties total $1,922,895. Read the news release for more information.

California cites manufacturer after worker loses fingers in unguarded machine
California OSHA issued six citations and $142,715 in penalties to Crenshaw Manufacturing Inc. in Huntington Beach, after a worker had three fingers amputated while manually loading products into an operating punch press. Cal/OSHA inspectors determined that the company failed to conduct regular inspections of power presses to ensure adequate machine guarding, did not conduct performance checks on power presses, and failed to provide employees with safety training.

Hawaii cites stadium for exposing workers to safety hazards
The Hawaii Occupational Safety and Health Division issued 12 citations and $47,000 in penalties to Aloha Stadium in Aiea for exposing workers to safety and health hazards. HIOSH inspectors concluded that the stadium’s operating company failed to require appropriate personal protective equipment for workers operating power grinders and table saws. Other violations included failure to: provide eye wash stations for workers handling batteries that contained corrosive chemicals; secure drill presses to the floor, exposing workers to potential struck-by hazards; and properly guard table saws with hoods, which exposed workers to laceration and amputation hazards.

Wells Fargo ordered to reinstate, pay Southern California whistleblower more than $577K in back wages, damages

Workers have rights under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX)!

The U.S. Department of Labor has ordered Wells Fargo to reinstate and pay $577,500 to an employee terminated after reporting that she believed at least three employees working under her supervision committed bank, wire, and mail fraud. Department investigators determined that Wells Fargo fired the Pomona, Calif., branch manager because of concerns raised that employees were opening customer accounts and enrolling customers for bank products without their knowledge or consent. The employee was also terminated for reporting violations of consumer financial laws. In addition to the monetary award, the order also requires Wells Fargo to clear the employee’s personnel file and post a notice informing all employees of their whistleblower protections under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010. Read the news release for more information.

OSHA publications made easier to find with revised webpage
OSHA’s publications webpage has been redesigned based on user data and feedback to better engage its many audiences and improve the way it functions. New and popular publications for specific industries or hazards are now easier to download and order. The webpage is formatted for all devices and platforms, from desktop monitors to smartphones.

Trenching safety symposium webinar available online

Now available online is a video of the June 27, 2017, Trench Safety Symposium webinar conducted by representatives from the National Utility Contractors Association, OSHA, and the University of Texas at Arlington. The symposium focused on ways to prevent trenching and excavation hazards in the construction industry. Visit OSHA’s trenching and excavation webpage for more information on working safely in trenches.

North Carolina releases videos on tobacco farm safety

The North Carolina Department of Labor’s Agriculture Safety and Health Bureau, the Farm Labor Practices Group, NC State University and industry stakeholders collaborated to produce safety training videos addressing agricultural safety and health hazards faced by tobacco farm workers. These include heat illness and struck-by hazards from farm equipment. The videos also offer guidance on applicable labor laws and regulations, and improving farm labor practices on tobacco farms. The videos are available on YouTube.

Loren Sweatt, Deputy Assistant Secretary of OSHA

Loren Sweatt appointed OSHA deputy assistant secretary
Loren Sweatt joined the Occupational Safety and Health Administration July 24, 2017. Ms. Sweatt joins the agency from the U.S. House of Representatives where she served as a Senior Policy Advisor at the Committee on Education and the Workforce for the last 15 years. In this role, Ms. Sweatt handled workplace safety issues before the Committee to include OSHA and the Mine Safety and Health Administration. Ms. Sweatt holds a BA in Political Science from Texas Christian University and an MBA from Marymount University.

Employers continue to make worker safety a priority in extreme heat
Employers across the country are taking steps to protect their employees from the risk of heat exposure by gradually increasing shift lengths so they can adapt to hot environments, providing frequent water breaks, allowing ample time to rest, and providing shade. In the June 15 issue of QuickTakes, we shared specific measures employers are taking to keep their workers safe from extreme heat. Below are more examples. For others, and to submit your own, visit our heat campaign webpage.
Aegion Coating Services LLC provides corrosion protection for structures and facilities around the world. The company’s Corrpro subsidiary has a heat management campaign that provides heat illness prevention training and weekly bulletins on heat management topics relevant to the company’s scope of work. Workers use the OSHA-NIOSH Heat Safety Tool app to monitor the heat index along with a company custom-built app to report and evaluate heat exposures and responses. This technology is combined with supervisors’ participation in weekly and monthly audits that directly support and improve summer safety plans. The program has resulted in two full years without any heat-related incidents among Corrpro’s 1,200 employees.
Precision Castparts Corp. is a metal foundry in Groton, Conn. During the summer, outdoor temperatures and humidity combined with ovens that reach 1,500-2,000'F put workers at greater risk for heat illness. All employees are educated about the warning signs and symptoms of heat-related illnesses, as well as the immediate actions to take until trained on-site first aid responders and/or EMS arrive. When the heat index reaches an action level for employees performing strenuous work, increased water intake is mandated, and electrolyte replacement fluids are provided. Additionally, these workers can go to a designated Heat Stress Recovery Area during the mandatory rest cycle. To minimize the effect on production, qualified employees from other departments can be brought in to replace the primary workers while they are resting.
Schnetz Landscape Inc. in San Diego emphasizes the importance of personal protective equipment to shield its workers from the sun in addition to the fundamentals of water, rest and shade. Neck visors and head wraps made of treated fabrics block UV rays, wick away sweat, and stay cold when wet. These provide workers with relief from the heat by keeping their heads and necks cool.

More than 2 million reached through Air Force Fall Prevention Stand-Down

Air Force Fall Prevention: Preserve Combat Capability

Each year the U.S. Air Force promotes an extensive campaign to remind and educate all its personnel about fall prevention and the risks associated with working at heights. This year’s Air Force Fall Prevention Focus, held in conjunction with OSHA’s National Safety Stand-Down, reached more than two million people, including active duty, Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve, civilians, contractors, and family members.
Across the world, Air Force members were encouraged to take breaks to discuss fall prevention measures, equipment, and policies with their supervisors. Bases hosted OSHA fall hazard awareness training, conducted live fall protection demonstrations, displayed safety messages, and commercials were broadcast across the Armed Forces Network.
Since the Air Force began focusing on fall prevention in 2014, work-related fall injuries have decreased nearly 31 percent.

OSHA schedules second meeting on strengthening Voluntary Protection Programs

OSHA will hold a second meeting on Aug. 28 to continue the discussion on the future direction of the agency’s Voluntary Protection Programs. The meeting, to be held in New Orleans, will include a review of the July 17 meeting, along with comments and suggestions from the public on potential avenues for action. OSHA is seeking to reshape VPP so that it continues to: represent safety and health excellence, leverage partner resources, further recognize the successes of long-term participants, and support smart program growth. OSHA invites stakeholders to provide new ideas on the overall VPP process and flow; corporate/long-term participant involvement; and Special Government Employees activities. For details on submitting comments and registering to attend the meeting, read the news release.

Industry groups form alliances with OSHA to better protect the safety and health of workers

The Gulf Coast Safety Council renewed a three-year agreement to address safety and health hazards associated with the local petrochemical industry, including falls, equipment operation, and chemical hazard communication. The alliance has delivered training for contractors and business owners, reaching more than 39,500 people.
The Louisiana Forestry Association/Louisiana Logging Council renewed a three-year agreement to address safety and health hazards associated with the local logging industry, including struck-by, falls, caught-in-between, equipment operation, and environmental hazards. Last year more than 600 people attended 26 council chapter meetings held to help keep loggers informed about the industry hazards.
The DJ Basin Safety Council renewed a four-year agreement to address safety and health hazards in the upstream oil and gas industry, including hydrocarbon exposures, fires/explosions, falls, struck-by, and transportation/driving.
The American Society of Safety Engineers - Big Sky Chapter renewed a five-year agreement to address safety and health hazards, including woodworking and walking/working surfaces in general industry; and trenching/excavation, temporary workers, and falls in construction.

Alaskan automotive shop achieves safety excellence with help from On-site Consultation Program

Spruce Park Auto Body Inc. of Anchorage, Alaska, contacted OSHA’s On-site Consultation Program to learn cost-effective ways to improve its safety and health program. After the initial consultation visits, the company implemented advanced safety measures such as upgrading respiratory protection controls and improving its hazard communication program. In 2001, the company was admitted into OSHA’s Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program for operating an exemplary safety and health program. Since then, they have instituted additional safety measures such as allowing staff to give feedback about the personal protective equipment they use and reducing worker exposure to hazardous compounds by switching from solvent-based to water-based paints. As a result of the company’s continued participation in SHARP, its injury and illness rates dropped to and remained at zero since 2011. For more information, see Spruce Park Auto Body’s success story.

OSHA partners share tips for effective safety and health programs

Revised whistleblower complaint form now online
OSHA recently revised its whistleblower complaint form to help users file a complaint with the appropriate agency. The form provides workers with another option for submitting retaliation complaints to the U.S. Department of Labor’s OSHA. The new form is available in English and Spanish.
Workers can also file complaints by fax, mail or hand-delivery; or calling an OSHA regional or area office. For more information, see the news release.

Wells Fargo ordered to reinstate, pay Southern California whistleblower more than $577K in back wages, damages

Trenching safety symposium webinar available online

North Carolina releases videos on tobacco farm safety

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OSHA provides news and commentary on workplace safety and health from its senior leadership, staff and guest contributors on the DOL blog. See our latest posts:

OSHA Program for Small Businesses Makes a Big Difference, by Patrick Showalter, director of OSHA’s Office for Small Business Assistance
An Ounce of Prevention with OSHA Consultation, by Eric R. Lucero, deputy director of the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Public Affairs in Atlanta
Climbing to the Top on Ladder Safety, by Jack A. Rector, director of OSHA's area office in Fort Worth

OSHA personnel provide compliance assistance during tornado recovery operations in Oklahoma

On May 16 a tornado created an 18-mile path of destruction near Elk City, Okla. As the community began to repair the damage, OSHA’s Oklahoma City Area Office reached out to help protect clean-up and recovery workers. Compliance assistance was provided to roofing contractors, construction clean-up crews, volunteers and homeowners in both English and Spanish regarding various hazards. OSHA personnel provided guidance concerning fall protection, the safe use of chain saws, the proper use of ladders as opposed to free-climbing trees, and the use of hearing and eye protection while using chain saws. To learn more about keeping workers safe during tornado clean-up and recovery operations, including available resources, see OSHA’s Tornado Preparedness and Response webpage.

OSHA partnership reduces worker injuries during construction of Atlanta Braves ballpark

Workers building a baseball stadium for the Atlanta Braves under a partnership with OSHA experienced dramatically lower injury rates than the national average. The two-year Strategic Partnership with Georgia Tech Research Institute, American Builders and the Associated General Contractors of Georgia was created to ensure the highest level of worker safety and health during construction. The partnership focused on reducing injuries and illnesses among the 6,000 workers, increasing safety and health training, sharing best practices, and ensuring employers used safety and health programs to find and fix hazards. Workers logged 5.7 million hours, resulting in only four lost-time injuries and one incident that resulted in restricted work. There would have been 52 more such injuries during a comparable number of work hours according to the national industry average calculated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

New York hardware stores achieve safety excellence with help from On-site Consultation Program

Williams Lumber & Home Centers is a family-run hardware and building materials chain with eight locations in the Catskill and Hudson Valley areas of New York. Last year, after working with OSHA’s On-site Consultation Program, the company’s stores in Red Hook, Hyde Park and Hudson became Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program sites. SHARP recognizes small business employers who have used OSHA’s consultation services and operate an exemplary safety and health program. Since being involved with the On-site Consultation Program, the Hudson site realized a cost savings through a reduction in compensation claims, improved their workplace safety and health culture, and increased management and employee commitment to the safety program. For more information, see the success story.

California approves regulation to reduce risk of catastrophic events at refineries

California’s Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board approved a landmark regulation May 18 to strengthen workplace safety and health at oil refineries across the state. The new regulation provides a framework to help employers anticipate, prevent and respond to hazards at refineries that can threaten workers and area residents. Among the elements outlined in the regulation to be enforced by Cal/OSHA, refinery employers are required to: conduct Damage Mechanism Reviews, conduct a Hierarchy of Hazard Controls Analysis, and implement a Human Factors Program for their worksites. For details, read the news release.

Ohio steel manufacturer cited, fined for lead exposure, machine safety hazards
OSHA inspectors conducted two separate investigations of Republic Steel, a Canton, Ohio, automotive steel manufacturer, after one worker suffered a serious injury and other workers were exposed to excessive levels of lead. Investigators determined that the maintenance worker suffered a fractured pelvis after being struck by a machine that did not have a lock-out device to prevent movement during maintenance. Other violations included failure to: implement controls to lessen exposure to steel dust; prohibit workers from eating in areas where lead exposure was possible; and replace damaged guard and stair rails. The company was cited for seven repeated and serious safety and health violations and proposed penalties totaling $279,578. Read the news release for more information.

California cites two employers after worker loses life in drainage shaft
Tyler Development Inc. and its sub-contractor, D&D Construction Specialties Inc., were cited and fined for multiple safety and health violations after a worker died inside a drainage shaft. The companies were building a single-family house in Bel Air, Calif. A D&D Construction employee, sent into a drainage shaft to remove mud and debris, lost consciousness from lack of oxygen after descending 10 feet. The worker then fell another 40 feet and drowned in a foot of water.
Cal/OSHA cited D&D Construction for 13 violations including failing to: ensure safe entry into a confined space; test the environment to determine if additional protective equipment was needed; and have an effective method for rescuing a worker in a confined space. Tyler Development was cited for five violations including failing to evaluate the worksite for possible permit-required confined spaces and failing to ensure the subcontractor met the requirements to comply with a permit-required program. D&D Construction and Tyler Development were proposed fines of $337,700 and $14,870, respectively. For more information, read thenews release.

Company cited for exposing workers to silica and other hazards at S.C. marine terminal
OSHA cited Cape Romain Contractors Inc. after discovering multiple safety and health violations during a scheduled inspection of a marine terminal construction site in Mount Pleasant, S.C. Inspectors found that workers faced overexposures to silica and noise due to a lack of respiratory protection and hearing conservation programs as well as engineering/administrative controls. Cape Romain was also cited for crane, electrical, and machine guarding hazards. Proposed penalties total $81,489.

New publication offers best practices for preventing injuries among communication tower workers
A new booklet from OSHA and the Federal Communications Commission provides safety information intended to reduce injuries and fatalities among communication tower climbers and ground crew employees. The booklet compiles best practices gathered from a series of discussions involving industry stakeholders and worker safety advocates that began with a workshop in October 2014. The information is organized to appeal to specific audiences: tower climbers and ground crew employees, carriers and tower owners, turfing vendors, and tower construction and maintenance contractors.

Wisconsin manufacturer dramatically reduces injuries with help from OSHA's On-site Consultation Program

Schoeneck Containers Inc., a Wisconsin-based manufacturer of plastic containers, earned acceptance into OSHA's Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program after working with the agency's free On-site Consultation Program to reduce noise levels through engineering solutions and update its lockout/tagout program. During the SCI's 13-year participation in SHARP, the company has seen its injury rate drop 90 percent. For more information, see the success story.

Construction management company partners with OSHA to enhance safety on Amherst College project
OSHA has signed a strategic partnership with Barr & Barr Inc., a construction management company in Springfield, Mass., to enhance workplace safety and health during the construction of Amherst College's new science center. Under the partnership, Barr & Barr will develop a safety and health plan for project subcontractors, setting out requirements and goals. The plan will include quarterly safety stand-downs; weekly meetings with subcontractors to discuss project safety issues; reviews of upcoming work; and comprehensive analyses of job hazards. For more information, see the news release.

Construction manager's requirement that contractors use fall protection saves three workers from potentially fatal injuries

Construction management company Harvey Cleary, a participant in OSHA's Strategic Partnership Program, mandates the use of fall protection at all times for all contractors. At an apartment project in San Antonio, Texas, a framing contractor balked at the requirement, claiming that he never used fall protection in residential construction. After the safety team leader for Harvey Cleary made it clear that following OSHA fall protection requirements was a condition of employment, the contractor engineered a fall protection system and had his employees secured to lifelines. A short time after the system was put into place, three workers fell from the top of the structure but never hit the ground because their lifelines arrested their falls. Not only did the insistence of Harvey Cleary's safety team leader potentially save the lives of three people, it convinced the framing contractor to ensure that his employees have adequate fall protection on future jobs.

Georgia automotive company cited for safety and health violations
In response to a complaint of unsafe working conditions, OSHA inspected Hitachi Automotive Systems Americas of Monroe, Ga., in August. Inspectors issued safety and health citations to Hitachi for numerous violations, including deficiencies in the company's hearing protection and hazard communication programs, as well as an emergency eye wash station that wasn’t installed. OSHA also issued safety and health citations to staffing agency Express Employment, which supplied Hitachi with temporary workers.

New Jersey firm cited for serious and repeat violations
OSHA initiated an inspection in August of Transaxle, a transmission recovery and remanufacturing firm in Cinnaminson, New Jersey, in response to an employee complaint in August. The inspection found repeat violations, including lack of proper machine guarding, hearing protection and training for lock-out, tag-out procedures. Transaxle was also cited for numerous serious violations, including open-sided platforms, electrical hazards, and lack of forklift training.

Ohio printing company receives multiple citations following three separate inspections into safety and health violations
OSHA initiated a safety inspection of Quad Graphics in September following a worker's amputation injury at the Columbus, Ohio, printing facility. Four days after the reported incident, another worker's finger was fractured in a printing press. In October, after reviewing the employer's injury and illness logs and finding that several workers had suffered hearing loss, the inspector opened a health inspection to evaluate the employer's hearing conversation program. A second health inspection was opened in November to address possible combustible dust hazards. OSHA issued the company multiple safety and health citations for violations related to standards including machine guarding, electrical, fall protection, noise, personal protective equipment and hazard communication.

Kentucky cites restaurant for violations of first aid standard
Kentucky Occupational Safety and Health cited Texas Roadhouse Management Corp for safety and health violations at its restaurant in Somerset. Inspectors determined that the company failed to provide adequate first aid supplies and failed to provide first aid training to workers.

Washington issues citations to construction company for fall protection and other violations
The Washington Division of Occupational Safety and Health issued citations to J & I Construction in Puyallup for exposing workers to falls and other hazards. Inspectors found that the company failed to protect workers from unguarded wall openings, provide railings on open-sided stairs, conduct walk-around safety inspections and ensure that workers wore hard hats. For more information, see the Washington DOSH news release.

Alabama auto parts supplier, staffing agencies face $2.5M in fines after robot fatally crushes young worker
Two weeks before what was to be her wedding day, 20-year-old Regina Allen Elsea was crushed to death in a robotic machine at a manufacturing facility that stamps metal parts for Hyundai and Kia vehicles in Cusseta, Ala.
Following OSHA's investigation of Ajin USA, the agency issued citations for 23 willful, serious and other-than-serious violations, including 19 egregious willful violations. OSHA also cited two staffing agencies responsible for placing Elsea at the factory as a temporary worker – Alliance Total Solutions LLC and Joynus Staffing Corp. – for two serious safety violations each. Collectively, the three companies face $2,565,621 in penalties for the federal safety and health violations.
The willful citations issued to Ajin USA by OSHA were for failing to: use energy control procedures to prevent machinery from starting up during maintenance and servicing; shut down a robotic cell according to safety procedures before allowing workers to enter it; provide safety locks to isolate hazardous energy; and use proper machine guarding to protect workers from crushing and amputation hazards. The agency has also placed Ajin USA in its Severe Violators Enforcement Program, which focuses on employers that endanger workers by committing willful, repeat or failure-to-abate violations.
OSHA cited Alliance and Joynus for failing to use specific safety procedures to control potentially hazardous stored energy during maintenance and servicing and not providing or ensuring employees had locks to properly shutdown machinery.
In 2015, OSHA Assistant Secretary Dr. David Michaels traveled to Korea and met with Hyundai and Kia's top managers, warning them of hazardous conditions at their suppliers, explaining that the automobile firms' production policies were endangering workers at the suppliers' factories. For more information, see the news release.

OSHA requests comments, schedules meeting on standard to prevent workplace violence in healthcare, social assistance

OSHA has issued a Request for Information on workplace violence in healthcare and social assistance settings. According to a recent Government Accountability Office report, the rate of workplace violence against employees providing services in the healthcare and social services settings is substantially higher than private industry as a whole.
The RFI seeks comments on the extent and nature of workplace violence in these settings and the effectiveness and feasibility of methods used to prevent such violence. Comments and materials may be submitted by April 6. See the Federal Register notice for submission details.
The agency has also scheduled a public meeting on Jan. 10 to discuss strategies to reduce violence in these workplaces. The meeting will allow workers, employers and other stakeholders to describe their experiences with workplace violence, and encourage discussion among stakeholders. Interested parties may register online.

Transport company agrees to enhanced safety measures at over 100 freight terminals in settlement with OSHA

Central Transport LLC has reached a settlement agreement with OSHA to improve forklift safety at the company's more than 100 shipping terminals nationwide. Several OSHA inspections of the company's terminals have found damaged and defective forklifts being used, exposing workers to crushing or struck-by injuries. Central Transport has agreed to hire an independent third-party monitor to evaluate and improve the company's existing procedures for maintenance, operator inspections and safe operation of powered industrial trucks. The company also must submit written compliance reports to OSHA, allow the agency to conduct monitoring inspections, remove defective forklifts from service, and pay $165,400 in penalties. Read the news release for more information.

USPS fined $342K after workers were exposed to bloodborne pathogen hazards at Maryland facility
The U.S. Postal Service has been cited for six health violations after an OSHA inspection of the Brooklyn South Carrier Annex in Brooklyn, Md. Inspectors responded to a complaint alleging workers were exposed to blood and other potentially infectious bodily fluids while handling packages labeled as containing biological infectious materials. The postal service failed to implement a written bloodborne pathogens exposure control plan and hazard communication program, and did not properly train workers on bloodborne pathogen protection. The USPS was proposed penalties totaling $342,059. For more information, read the news brief.

Two global employers cited after multiple workers suffer amputations and other injuries
OSHA recently cited two global employers after finding that their workers continued to suffer severe injuries, despite similar previous incidents.

For the second time in less than two months, federal safety and health inspectors found a worker at a commercial laundry equipment manufacturer had suffered an amputation because a machine lacked adequate safety guarding. In a previous investigation of Ripon, Wis.-based Alliance Laundry Systems, OSHA learned that a grommet-cutting machine severed an employee's right index finger. In the latest investigation, the company was found to have returned a hydraulic press to operation, without adding safety guarding, after an employee lost a fingertip in the machine. OSHA proposed penalties totaling $124,709. Details are in the news release.
In another recent amputation case, OSHA proposed penalties of $86,942 for one repeated and two serious safety violations to Kerry Inc., a global food products company. OSHA found that just six weeks after a machine in the company's plant in Melrose Park, Ill., amputated a maintenance worker's left hand, the company reported a second worker's right forearm suffered multiple fractures from another machine. Investigating the injuries, OSHA found, in both instances, that the company allowed workers to service machinery without ensuring proper lockout/tagout procedures. For more information, read the news release.

Washington marine cargo handling company fined $124K after worker's fatal fall
OSHA cited SSA Pacific, a Seattle-based cargo handling company, following the June 2016 death of a 48-year-old longshoreman. The worker fell 10 feet onto the metal deck of a bulk carrier cargo ship. OSHA cited his employer for willfully failing to protect its workers from falls into hatches and cargo holds. Inspectors who boarded the vessel found numerous hazardous areas where no netting or fall protection measures existed. OSHA has cited SSA Pacific for similar violations in Oregon and Florida in the past three years. For more information, read the news release.

Wisconsin aluminum coatings company fined more than $170K after worker fatally crushed
A chemical technician working for Crystal Finishing Systems died after an automated crane pinned him between the machine's hook and load bars. OSHA cited the Mosinee, Wis., aluminum coatings employer with 10 safety violations for failing to: guard machines to prevent workers from contacting operating parts; provide personal protective equipment; train workers about hazardous chemicals; and protect workers from walking-working surfaces hazards. The company was proposed fines of $171,169. For more information, read the news release.

Judges approve OSHA settlement agreement with event company and uphold nearly $345K in fines against masonry contractor
An Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission judge approved a settlement agreement between OSHA and Walker International Events after the company contested safety citations. The Florida-based events company was issued 14 serious violations of safety standards after an outdoor circus tent collapsed during a severe thunderstorm in Lancaster, N.H. The company ignored repeated warnings of severe storms. Walker International contested citations issued for violating the agency's General Duty Clause and electrical standards. Under the terms of the agreement, the company: has accepted the citations; confirmed the violations have been corrected; will pay the $24,000 fine; and will not resume operations unless it implements a safety and health program that includes procedures for safely installing outdoor tents. Read the news release for more information.
In a separate case, an administrative law judge affirmed nine violations and $344,960 in penalties assessed to J.C. Stucco and Stone. The Lansdowne, Pa., masonry contractor was cited after two OSHA inspections in 2014 found workers exposed to life-threatening scaffolding hazards. J.C. Stucco accepted the citations but requested a hearing with the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission to examine the appropriateness of the proposed penalties. The Commission upheld the proposed penalties. J.C. Stucco has been cited 41 times since 2011, and was placed in OSHA's Severe Violator Enforcement Program. See the news release for more information.

State Plan enforcement cases

The following are recent examples of enforcement cases from state occupational safety and health programs. For more examples of state and federal enforcement cases, visit OSHA's online enforcement penalties map.
Virginia Occupational Safety and Health issued IMS Gear Holding Inc. in Virginia Beach $54,765 for exposing workers to workplace hazards. VOSH inspectors determined that the company failed to assess workplaces to determine if hazards were present, or likely to be present; did not ensure lockout/tagout devices were fastened to each energy isolating device; failed to provide quick drenching and adequate eye washing stations for employees working with corrosive materials; and failed to ensure safe operation of forklifts.
Kentucky Occupational Safety and Health inspectors issued $73,800 in penalties to United Parcel Service in Louisville for safety and health violations. Kentucky OSH inspectors concluded that the company exposed workers to fall hazards by failing to have a guardrail on an open-sided platform more than six feet above the ground, and failed to maintain a restroom in a clean, orderly and sanitary condition.

OSHA issues final rule for handling retaliation complaints from automotive industry workers

OSHA recently issued a final rule establishing procedures and time frames for handling retaliation complaints under the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act. MAP-21 protects workers of automobile manufacturers, part suppliers and car dealerships who have been fired or otherwise retaliated against for providing information about motor vehicle defects or violations of motor vehicle safety standards. A fact sheet on MAP-21, available in English and Spanish, provides workers with instructions on how to file an OSHA complaint. Read the news release for more information.

OSHA Deputy Assistant Secretary Jordan Barab (center) receives a Lifetime Achievement Award presented by Marcy Goldstein-Gelb and Peter Dooley of National COSH.

Jordan Barab receives Lifetime Achievement Award at National COSH conference

The National Council for Occupational Safety and Health presented OSHA Deputy Assistant Secretary Jordan Barab with a Lifetime Achievement Award during the organization's annual conference held in Baltimore Dec. 6-8. Barab and others were honored during the three-day conference, where more than 250 family members, union representatives, occupational safety and health professionals and members of COSH groups and workers' centers discussed the need for better safety protections for U.S. workers. National COSH also honored other worker safety advocates, as well as the family of Roendy Granillo, a construction worker who died from heat exhaustion last year in Dallas.

New Mexico retirement home contractor recognized for safety excellence

Cameron General Contractors is now one of ten employers in New Mexico accepted into OSHA's Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program. The company develops, designs, constructs, and manages independent living retirement projects throughout the United States. Cameron was awarded its first SHARP certification in July after working with OSHA's On-site Consultation Program at its Coronado Villa construction site in Albuquerque. As a result, the company improved its safety and health program to reduce hazards, and implemented a positive safety culture among the sub-contractors working on the job site. Through SHARP, all seven sub-contractors were required to have an on-site consultation visit. For more information, see the success story.

New York nursing facility maintains Star status for workplace safety

OSHA recertified the Presbyterian Home of Central New York in New Hartford as a Star worksite in the agency's Voluntary Protections Programs. The 236-bed skilled nursing facility is the only nursing home in New York state to achieve VPP Star status and is one of only eight resident care facilities in the country with this recognition. Employers and workers at Star worksites demonstrate exemplary achievement in the prevention and control of occupational safety and health hazards through the development, implementation and continuous improvement of their safety and health programs.

OSHA offers new outreach training elective on safety leadership

OSHA's Outreach Training Program and CPWR - The Center for Construction Research and Training have developed a new OSHA 30-hour construction training elective course: Foundations for Safety Leadership. Responding to a training gap identified by contractors, unions and other industry stakeholders, FSL is designed to introduce construction workers, particularly foremen and lead workers, to five critical safety leadership skills needed to improve jobsite safety climate and safety outcomes. The course stresses the importance of leading by example, engaging and empowering team members, listening and communicating effectively, coaching and providing feedback, and recognizing team members who go above and beyond for safety. The FSL course will be available on OSHA's Outreach Training Program webpage starting January 1, 2017.