Category: Enforcement and Inspection

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

EHS on Tap Episode 6: Paying the Price with OSHA’s New Penalties

For the first time in 25 years, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, is increasing its penalty amounts. Employers could face civil penalties 78 percent greater than before. In an effort to boost compliance and deter safety violations, employers must demonstrate their commitment to safety… or pay the price. EHS on Tap is […]

California Appeals Board: Was Workers’ Exposure Willful?

What’s your procedure for handling workers’ complaints about health symptoms? Some health symptoms are “nonspecific,” meaning they can have more than one possible cause. A headache, for example, can result from exposure to hazardous airborne chemicals—or the worker could be coming down with a cold or might have skipped lunch. It’s important to carefully investigate […]

Initial Penalty Settlement for VW

Volkswagen AG (VW) has agreed with the EPA, the state of California, and the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to an initial penalty settlement for alleged violations of federal and state laws following disclosures that the company installed emissions defeat devices in nearly 500,000 2.0-liter diesel vehicles sold in the United States between 2009 and […]

Minnesota CO2 Law Found in Violation of Commerce Clause

A Minnesota law that prohibits utilities from meeting state electricity demand with power from new plants that contribute to statewide carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions was found in violation of the Constitution’s dormant Commerce Clause because the law places an undue burden on interstate commerce.

Zero Pretreatment Effluent Limits for O&G Fracking

A U.S. district judge in Wyoming has “set aside” the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) final rule imposing environmentally protective requirements on hydraulically fractured oil and gas (O&G) wells on federal and Indian lands.

OSHA Cites 5 Contractors for Fall Hazards

At an apartment complex construction site in Nebraska, OSHA found construction contractors jeopardizing the safety and health of workers. The agency’s inspection resulted in citations for five companies working at the three-building complex.