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.
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On May 31, OSHA announced a pilot program aimed at protecting workers who report violations of law, safety and health—a severe violator enforcement program for employers that “continually and willfully” disregard the rights of whistleblowers.
Recently, OSHA announced that it is launching a pilot program aimed at employers who “continually and willfully” disregard the right of whistleblowers. Called the Whistleblower Severe Violator Enforcement Program or W-SVEP, the program will be similar to the existing Severe Violator Enforcement Program, which includes employers that routinely ignore safety and health regulations. The pilot […]
A national home decor retail chain is facing fines of $101,420 after OSHA inspectors found blocked exits and unsafe storage practices at a Wisconsin location. The location was inspected in November 2015 in response to an employee complaint. OSHA investigators cited the company for five repeat violations, two serious violations, and one other-than-serious violation.
A rotating airlock blade severed a 30-year-old worker’s three fingertips as he cleaned the machine at a Wisconsin organic food manufacturing facility, an incident federal safety investigators found could have been prevented if the machine had been powered down fully. OSHA cited the company for the same violation in 2012.
Some Cal/OSHA standards are “performance standards”—that is, the standard specifies an end to be achieved, but the exact methods for achieving that end are left to the employer. In such cases, Cal/OSHA may offer further guidance in complying with the standard. Unfortunately, even employers that receive additional guidance can run into trouble, as a recent […]
While OSHA can feel like a behemoth to an employer on the receiving end of citations and fines, the agency is a relatively small player compared with other federal agencies.
In a welcome demonstration of election year bipartisanship, senators from opposite sides of the aisle have proposed legislation that would signal an important change for OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP). Find out what the change is all about.
OSHA inspectors paid a visit to a Birmingham, Alabama, plumbing contracting business after an inspector noticed workers in an unprotected trench. The inspection was part of OSHA’s National Emphasis Program on Trenching and Excavation. The compliance officer issued one willful and four serious citations to the employer for allowing employees to work in an excavation […]
The nation’s largest chicken producer failed to use proper safety procedures, which caused a significant release of a highly hazardous chemical. Find out how the agency reacted to this repeat violation.
Following safety regulations isn’t just the right thing to do—it keeps employers on the right side of OSHA enforcement and saves money by avoiding fines, legal fees, and more. Keep reading to learn about seven companies that ran afoul of OSHA regulations and paid the price.