Practical EHS Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
As today’s workplace becomes more complex, regulation of that workplace increases. In this section, you’ll find the practical advice you need to understand exactly what OSHA, other federal agencies, and their state counterparts, require of you, and to comply in the ways that best satisfy both your and their needs. Look also for important court decisions, advice on how to handle enforcement actions, and news of upcoming changes in workplace health and safety law.
Free Special Report: What to Expect from an OSHA Inspection
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited six contractors building luxury single-family homes at a site in Medford, New Jersey, for fall protection and other violations and proposed penalties of nearly $250,000. The agency conducted multiple inspections, including three as part of its Regional Emphasis Program (REP) on Falls in Construction (Directive no. 2019-1, […]
A Department of Labor (DOL) administrative law judge, Dennis Phillips, found hospital management companies UHS of Delaware Inc. and Premier Behavioral Health Solutions of Florida Inc. exposed workers to workplace violence and showed bad faith by allowing the destruction of surveillance videos showing instances of workplace violence at a Bradenton, Florida, psychiatric facility. Phillips assessed […]
On May 4, the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) adopted a final report on an October 26, 2019, hydrogen sulfide (H2S) release at the Aghorn Operating waterflood station in Odessa, Texas. The toxic gas release fatally injured an Aghorn employee who was working at the facility, as well as his spouse, who […]
On April 20, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited Dollar Tree Stores for repeat, serious violations at its Beverly Hills, Florida, store. The agency concluded that the company exposed workers to fire, entrapment, and struck-by hazards; blocked exit routes; and improperly stacked boxes and other materials that might fall and injure workers. OSHA […]
On April 22, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited and fined a Naperville, Illinois, logistics center following an outbreak of COVID-19 in which one worker died. The agency is seeking $12,288 in fines for a serious violation of the General Duty Clause.
The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) cited Sierra Pacific Industries for workplace safety and health violations after one of its employees was fatally injured when a pipeline on an air compressor exploded. The agency is seeking $108,300 in fines.
The hazard communication standard (29 CFR 1910.1200)—sometimes referred to as the HazCom standard or “worker right-to-know”—remains one of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) most frequently cited standards.
The Oregon Occupational Safety and Health (Oregon OSHA), a division of the Department of Consumer & Business Services, continues to enforce the state’s COVID-19 emergency temporary standard (ETS). The agency recently cited a bar, a restaurant, and two home improvement stores for exposing employees to risk of infection.
The COVID-19 pandemic has altered the nature of work in many industries and brought renewed attention to the importance of workplace safety, but OSHA continues to carry out inspections and issue citations to employers that expose workers to hazardous conditions. We’ve summarized some of the key enforcement cases from the past few months for a […]
In the first quarter (Q1), the EPA finalized 290 settlement agreements with companies small and large across the United States. This represents a significant increase in enforcement actions—up from 150 penalties issued in Q4 for 2020. The actions taken resulted in $6,126,092 in fines. Here are some of the highlights of violations and penalties.