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EHSDA Song of the Week: Velvet Roof

Working on roofs is dangerous. So much so that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) keeps handing out huge fines for roof safety violations. The most recent was just announced this week when OSHA slapped a Maine roofer with a $1.6 million fine for exposing workers to roof hazards at multiple work sites. With […]

Maine Roofer Responsible for $1.6 Million OSHA Fine

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced June 28 that an administrative law judge (ALJ) with the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission ruled that Shawn D. Purvis is personally responsible for $1,572,340 in OSHA fines. Purvis, who does business as Purvis Home Improvement Co. Inc., willfully exposed roofing workers to fall hazards at […]

Faces of EHS: Jamie Dabbs on Construction and Being Prepared

Jamie Dabbs attended Southeastern Oklahoma State University where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Occupational Safety and Health. He secured an internship with the Noble Foundation in Ardmore, Oklahoma, and then he obtained a position working as a safety manager within a manufacturing plant in Oklahoma City. Realizing that he wanted to broaden […]

Cal/OSHA Cites Mushroom Farms in Workplace Shootings

On June 26, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) announced citations for two Half Moon Bay farms where seven workers were shot and killed January 23. Cal/OSHA cited California Terra Garden, Inc., for 22 violations, including 5 serious and 1 serious, accident-related for failing to have a plan or procedures to immediately […]

Florida Healthcare Facility Cited for Nearly 200 Workplace Violence Incidents in 2022

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced “shocking” findings of a workplace safety investigation into a behavioral health and substance disorder facility in Jacksonville, Fla. According to the federal probe, workers at the UHS of Delaware Inc.-Wekiva Springs Center LLC (operating as Wekiva Springs Hospital) were assaulted, confined by patients, and suffered broken bones, concussions, and […]

CSB Releases Final Report on Fatal Chemical Release

The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) released a final report on a hydrogen chloride (HCl) release at the Wacker Polysilicon North American facility in Charleston, Tennessee. A worker was fatally injured in the incident. The CSB found that at the time of the incident in November 2020, there were multiple contract workers […]

CourtWatch Judge Rules U.S. Forest Service Violated CWA Regulations

In May, U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen of the U.S. District Court in Montana ruled the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) violated the Clean Water Act (CWA) in its use of fire-retardant materials in areas with waterways without a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. The judge also ruled the USFS can continue to use […]

OSHA Seeks Employer Input on Heat Rulemaking

On June 22, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) invited small businesses to participate in the development of a federal heat standard to protect indoor and outdoor workers. The agency unveiled plans to hold OSHA Small Business Advocacy Review Panel meetings this summer to gather views on the possible effects of a heat standard […]

Driving Change: The Journey of Veriforce from Merger to Global
Expansion

By: The Veriforce Team Discover the transformative journey of Veriforce, from a pivotal merger to becoming thelargest supply chain risk management network in the world. When Veriforce grew five times its size within five years, it took dedication, collaboration, and anunwavering, systemic commitment to a profound mission: Bringing workers home safe fromhigh-hazard jobs. It’s this […]

Back to Basics: Particulate Matter and Smoke Exposure

Back to Basics is a weekly feature that highlights important but possibly overlooked information that any EHS professional should know. This week, we examine particulate matter pollution and the effects on human health and safety. Due to the recent wildfires and smoke on the East Coast and Canada, OSHA has urged employers to protect their […]