Article archive for OSHA
OSHA issues advice for emergency workers at combustible dust fires (16 April 2013)
The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has published
Firefighting Precautions at Facilities with Combustible Dust, a new booklet that outlines safe procedures for emergency responders who may face fires and explosions caused by combustible dust.
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Congress mulls dust explosion legislation (18 February 2013)
On February 14, a group of Democrats in the US House of Representatives introduced legislation to protect workers from combustible dust. The new bill would compel the agency to issue interim protections within a year and set deadlines for finalising a permanent rule.
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OSHA to fine Mississippi Phosphates following death of two workers (27 November 2012)
The US Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Mississippi Phosphates Corp. with 40 safety and health violations following the deaths of two workers at its Pascagoula plant. The citations for the serious and repeat violations carry total proposed penalties of $165,900.
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US occupational injury census sees small drop in workplace fatalities for 2011 (02 October 2012)
The Bureau of Labor Statistics has released the preliminary results of its National Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries. Findings show that the number of fatal work injuries in 2011 was slightly lower than final results from 2010. Last year, 4,609 workers died from work-related injuries, down from 4,690 in 2010.
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Imperial Sugar CEO latest to call for OSHA combustible dust standard (11 September 2012)
Imperial Sugar CEO John C. Sheptor is the latest in a long line of prominent figures to call for the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to speed up its plans to introduce a definitive combustible dust standard for US industry.
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OSHA levies penalties after explosion at Texas recycling plant (11 July 2012)
The US Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Electronic Recycling and Trading Co. with 14 serious violations after two workers were injured from a combustible dust explosion at the company's work site in Austin, Texas. Proposed penalties total $60,060.
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OSHA to improve whistleblower protection scheme (12 June 2012)
The US Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has announced its intent to establish a Whistleblower Protection Advisory Committee to advise and make recommendations on ways to improve the efficiency and transparency of the organisation’s whistleblower protection scheme.
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Kansas grain company cited for serious violations by OSHA (16 April 2012)
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is seeking $406,000 in penalties and is citing five willful and eight serious safety violations at Bartlett Grain Co., a Missouri-based grain company, following an explosion that killed six workers and injured two more last October at one of its grain elevators at Atchison in Kansas.
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OSHA fines US auto parts and chemicals companies for fires and safety violations (02 April 2012)
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited auto parts manufacturer Sanoh America with 13 violations, including one repeat, for exposing workers to fire hazards, dangerous fumes, and other safety hazards at the company's Findlay, Ohio, plant. Proposed penalties total $83,000.
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Florida aluminium manufacturer fined for combustible dust violations (19 March 2012)
Fritz Aluminum Services Inc. has been cited by OSHA with 37 violations for exposing workers to a variety of safety and health hazards, including combustible dust accumulations, at the company's facility in Eustis, Florida. OSHA opened an inspection in September after receiving a complaint, and proposed penalties total $139,800.
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Three companies fined $500,000 for Sylmar blast (15 February 2012)
On 7 February three Southern California companies were fined more than $500,000 for the August 2011 hydrogen Explosion at an alternative fuel plant in Sylmar, which left two people severely injured.
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Democrats say HR7 legislation could weaken chemical safety (15 February 2012)
The House of Representatives’ Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved the American Energy & Infrastructure Jobs Act (HR7) on February 3. HR7 authorizes approximately $260 billion over five years to fund federal highway, transit, and safety programmes. It will go before the House later in the month.
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Equine expert killed in Florida as horseshoe sparks explosion (15 February 2012)
An equine expert, Erica Marshall, was killed when a horse she was treating in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber kicked out, sparking a freak explosion which threw debris 1,200ft and could be heard 30 miles away, according to local reports.
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New US rules to prevent dust explosions relegated to long term (07 February 2012)
New safety rules will not be enacted in the near future despite the iron dust-fuelled explosions last year at a Tennessee metal powder plant which resulted in five deaths.
The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) is developing rules that would require companies to improve control over combustible dust hazards.
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Grain elevator explosion kills six in Kansas City, USA (07 November 2011)
An explosion at a grain elevator in Kansas has claimed six lives on October 29th 2011. Three victims were found initially but unstable concrete and other damage forced crews to temporarily call off their search at the Bartlett Grain Co. facility in Atchison, about 50 miles NW of Kansas City. The bodies of the final three victims of a grain elevator blast were recovered on the following Monday a company official said.
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$58,800 fine for exposing employees to combustible dust hazards (12 October 2011)
The US Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Karyall Teleday Co. of Brooklyn, Ohio, for 17 serious safety and health violations.
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Chemical reporting violations results in fine (28 September 2011)
Quality Carriers, Inc., will pay over $46,000 to settle hazardous chemical reporting violations at its facility in Kent, Washington, USA, according to a consent agreement with the US Environmental Protection Agency.
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Kraft subsidiary fined for exposing workers to hazardous chemicals (28 September 2011)
The US Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Kraft Foods Inc. for 12 serious and one other-than-serious safety violation at a facility of its subsidiary, Oscar Meyer. The proposed fines currently total $75,000.
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ExxonMobil fined for exposing workers to possible fires and explosions (15 September 2011)
ExxonMobil Refining and Supply Co. in Baton Rouge has been accused of 22 violations – 20 serious and two other-than-serious – for exposing workers to possible fires and explosions, amongst other hazards. Proposed penalties total $126,600 following an inspection by OSHA's Baton Rouge Area Office at the company's petroleum refinery on Scenic Highway.
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Inspection plan for protecting workers in high-hazard workplaces (14 September 2011)
The US Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued its annual inspection plan under the Site-Specific Targeting 2011 (SST-11) programme to help the agency direct enforcement resources to high-hazard workplaces where the highest rates of injuries and illnesses occur.
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OSHA makes fine stick (14 September 2011)
The US Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Bostik Inc. for 50 alleged violations of workplace safety standards following an explosion at the company's Massachusetts, USA, plant in which four workers were injured. The adhesives manufacturer now faces a total of $917,000 in proposed fines.
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Breaching safety results in $60,900 fine (30 August 2011)
The US Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Ohio Aluminum Industries in Garfield Heights with 14 serious safety violations carrying $60,900 in proposed fines.
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OSHA finds NJ manufacturer exposing workers to serious workplace hazards (25 August 2011)
SAFAS Corporation, a Clifton, NJ manufacturer of simulated granite products made of polymer, is facing $135,000 in penalties for exposing workers to hazards in the workplace.
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Contractor exposes workers to hazardous air contaminants (17 August 2011)
The US Department of Labour’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited contractor Affordable Engineering Services LLC at Hill Air Force Base in Ogden, Utah, for 12 serious safety and health violations related to exposing workers to hazardous contaminants. The proposed penalties total $51,850.
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OSHA cites chicken feed producer for combustible dust hazards; nearly $86,000 fine total proposed (20 July 2011)
Pilgrim's Pride Corp. in Enterprise has been cited for six safety violations by the U.S. Department of Labor's OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) following a March 2011 inspection. Penalties total $85,800.
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