OSHA watch
Compliance date for parts of general industry beryllium standard delayed
The compliance date for certain ancillary provisions in the beryllium standard for general industry is extended to December 12, 2018. The final rule published in the Aug. 9 Federal Register, states that the compliance date applies to requirements for methods of compliance, beryllium work areas, regulated areas, personal protective clothing and equipment, hygiene facilities and practices, housekeeping, communication of hazards, and recordkeeping.
New compliance assistance resources available for Silica Standard
- A customizable slide presentation can be used to help train construction workers.
- A five-minute video shows how to protect workers from exposure to silica dust.
- A series of short videos demonstrates the proper use of specified dust control methods for six common construction tasks.
- An FAQ page provides answers to frequently asked questions about the Respirable Crystalline Silica Standard for Construction.
Tips on forklift safety and maintenance
New QuickCards are available in English and Spanish to aid employees and employers in the safe operation and proper maintenance of forklifts.
Guidance explains how to use the 300 log to look for trends
That was no accident encourages employers to use the 300 Log not just as a paperwork exercise or a way to look at past performance, but as part of a company's road map to finding and fixing hazards.
Redesigned regulations webpage provides easier navigation
The Law and Regulations webpage that features information on standards and rulemaking now can be searched by keyword or number and includes the latest updates on active rulemaking. The page also features information buttons to explain regulatory language that may be unfamiliar to some users.
Free workplace violence prevention webinar available online
A free 60-minute webinar on preventing workplace violence in healthcare settings is available from The Joint Commission, a long-standing national alliance partner. The webinar includes an overview of Guidelines for Preventing Workplace Violence for Healthcare and Social Service Workers, as well as a discussion of a multi-hospital intervention study that reduced violent events.
Name-and-shame strategy still prevalent in news releases
While the rate of releasing public statements about enforcement actions taken against employers is significantly lower under the Trump administration than the Obama administration (463 a year to about 150), the tone in these press releases has not changed. Most include harsh and embarrassing quotations from senior officials. Stakeholders argue that the press releases are based merely on allegations of violations and are published prior to companies being afforded a hearing.
Enforcement notes
California
- Roofing contractor, Petersen-Dean, Inc., faces $146,004 in fines for repeat violations of exposing workers to fall hazards.
- New York-based Outfront Media Inc, an outdoor advertising company, faces proposed penalties of $32,435 for serious safety violations after a worker suffered third-degree burns as well as an inadequate heat illness prevention plan for its outdoor workers.
Florida
- G&H Underground Construction faces $57,738 in proposed penalties for allowing the use of unguarded machines after an employee suffered a throat laceration at a worksite in St. Augustine.
- Archer Western Construction Inc., an Atlanta-based company, faces $33,259 in proposed fines for safety violations after two employees suffered fatal injuries while performing trenching activities at a Miami worksite.
- The Holly Hill-based paving company, Pavemax Corp. faces $16,814 in proposed fines for safety violations after an employee suffered fatal injuries at an Orange City worksite, including failure to train and provide a place of employment free from recognized hazards.
Illinois
- HB Fuller Company, operating as Adhesive Systems Inc., faces $587,564 in proposed penalties for 18 health and safety violations at its facility in Frankfort. The company was cited for failing to: provide employees with respirator fit tests and respirators appropriate for hazardous atmospheres; require bonding and grounding when transferring flammable liquids; ensure that electrical equipment was approved for use in hazardous atmospheres; and conduct a personal protective equipment assessment.
Mississippi
- After Nissan North America Inc. contested two violations, an administrative law judge of the OSHRC vacated one serious citation but affirmed the other and assessed a $12,675 penalty. The law judge affirmed the violation of training requirements in an employer's energy control program after determining that the evidence established that the exposure was reasonably predictable and training the technicians was required.
New York
- The OSHRC affirmed two serious citations previously vacated by an administrative law judge against a commercial laundry facility, Angelica Textile Services Inc., in Ballston Spa. A single grouped penalty of $7,000 was assessed for inadequate isolation and verification procedures for a permit required confined space and of lockout/tagout procedures. However, the review commission reclassified the penalties as serious rather than repeat violations.
Pennsylvania
- Grove U.S. LLC. was cited for exposing workers to struck-by hazards after three employees suffered fatal injuries when a 300-ton crane collapsed at the company's Shady Grove facility. The company faces proposed penalties totaling $14,976, the maximum amount allowed.
Tennessee
- Day & Zimmerman NPS Inc. faces $71,599 in proposed penalties for exposing employees to electric shock hazards at the Tennessee Valley Authority Sequoyah Nuclear Power Plant in Soddy Daisy.
- Specialty Tires of Unicoi faces $6,000 in fines after a mechanic was killed when he was caught in the moving arms of an assembly machine. The company was cited for failure to have an energy control procedure and failure to conduct regular inspections of an energy control program and ensuring that employees understand and comply with such a program.
- M&K Home Improvement faces $51,200 in penalties for exposing workers to fall hazards.