OSHA watch
Inspections increase in FY 2019
In FY 2019, which ended September 30, 33,401 inspections were conducted. This is more inspections than in each of the previous 3 years - 32,023 in FY 2018, 32,408 in FY 2017, and 31,948 in FY 2016. The agency also provided a record 1,392,611 workers with training on safety and health requirements through its various education programs.
CIC certifications no longer accepted
Certifications issued by Sanford, Florida-based Crane Institute of America Certification LLC (CIC) for crane operators engaged in construction activities are no longer valid because the CIC is no longer considered a nationally recognized accrediting agency. Employers will not be cited for work performed by crane operators holding CIC-issued certifications obtained before Dec. 2, 2019, if those crane operators acquired the certification with the good faith belief that it met government standards. However, CIC certifications or re-certifications issued on or after Dec. 2, 2019 are not acceptable.
Minor corrections and clarifications to Walking-Working Surfaces regulations published
A notice published in the Federal Register corrects minor errors and clarifies requirements in the Walking-Working Surfaces and Personal Protective Equipment standards.
Update to NEP on amputation hazards in manufacturing
Updated guidance was issued for Compliance Safety and Health Officers conducting inspections in manufacturing facilities that could potentially have incidents involving amputations. There is a new method for targeting industries that involves using amputation reports submitted by employers as well as Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) incident and amputation rate data. The 75 NAICS codes covered under the National Emphasis Program (NEP) can be found in Appendix B of the compliance directive.
There will be a 90-day outreach program offered to employees.
Recent fines and awards
Florida
- Garabar Inc., based in Lake Worth, was cited for exposing employees to fall and eye hazards at a worksite in Royal Palm Beach. The roofing contractor faces $64,974 in penalties. The inspection was conducted under the REP for Falls in Construction.
- Action Roofing Services Inc., based in Pompano Beach, was cited for exposing employees to fall hazards at Palm Beach Gardens and Port Saint Lucie worksites. Inspected under the REP for Falls in Construction, the roofing contractor faces $146,280 in penalties.
Georgia
- Kittrich Corp., operating as Avenger Products LLC, was cited for exposing employees to amputation, fire, and electrical hazards at the company's Gainesville facility. The pesticide and agricultural chemical manufacturer faces $90,801 in penalties for lockout/tagout violations, improper storage of chemicals, failure to update and give employees access to safety data sheets, and more.
- Wright Metal Products Crates LLC, based in South Bend, Indiana, and operating as WMP Crates was cited for exposing employees to amputation, chemical and other safety hazards at a worksite in Lavonia. Inspected under the NEP on Amputations and the REP for Powered Industrial Trucks, the company faces $195,034 in penalties.
- Mavis Southeast LLC, operating as Mavis Discount Tire, was cited for exposing employees to fall, struck-by and other hazards at the company's distribution facility in Buford and faces $191,895 in penalties.
Massachusetts
- United Parcel Service Inc. was cited for exposing employees to multiple hazards including exit access, fire, and electrical at the shipping and delivery facility in Vineyard Haven. The company faces $431,517 in penalties for four repeated and seven serious safety violations.
Missouri
- Martin Davila, operating as Davila Construction, was cited for exposing employees to fall hazards at job sites in Wentzville, Grover, and St. Louis. The residential roofing company faces $205,098 in proposed penalties.
New York
- Frazer & Jones Company Inc. was cited for 33 workplace health and safety violations at the manufacturer's Solvay iron foundry. The company faces $460,316 in penalties for multiple violations, including exposing employees to crystalline silica, iron oxide, combustible dust, falls, struck-by and caught-between hazards, unsafe work floors and walking surfaces, inadequate respiratory protection and more.
- A whistleblower investigation found that Bouchard Transportation Company Inc., B. No. 272 Corp, a petroleum barge company based in Melville, and its officers violated the whistleblower protection provisions of the Seaman's Protection Act (SPA) when it retaliated against a seaman who cooperated with U.S. Coast Guard (USCG).
Pennsylvania
- Dana Railcare, based in Wilmington, Delaware, was cited for confined space hazards after an employee asphyxiated while servicing a rail car containing crude oil sludge in Pittston. The railcar service provider faces $551,226 in proposed penalties and was placed in the Severe Violator Enforcement Program.
Wisconsin
- An administrative law judge of the OSHRC affirmed a citation of $2,800 against Guaranteed Home Improvements LLC after a worker was seriously injured in a ladder fall for using the ladder in icy and slippery conditions and failing to secure it to prevent accidental displacement. There was, however, an issue of fact regarding the side rails of the ladder, and the second citation of $2,884 was vacated.