Practical EHS Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) cited additional employers for failing to protect employees from COVID-19 exposures, including a Los Angeles garment manufacturing company facing $102,550 in proposed penalties. California is one of a handful of states that established an emergency temporary standard (ETS) last year for workplace COVID-19 exposures.
In the third quarter (Q3), the EPA finalized 327 settlement agreements with companies small and large across the United States. This represents a significant increase in enforcement actions—up from 162 penalties issued in Q2 for 2020. The actions taken resulted in $6,367,710 in fines. Here are some of the highlights.
The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) issued citations to frozen food manufacturer Overhill Farms Inc. and a temporary employment agency Jobsource North America Inc. for failing to protect hundreds of employees from COVID-19 at two plants in Vernon. The agency proposed penalties of over $200,000 for each employer.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sets and enforces safety standards for the workplace. It’s a simple job description but a huge undertaking. And given that negative attitudes toward the agency are pervasive among U.S. employers and workers, OSHA’s authority has taken on an almost mythical quality, and many misconceptions about the agency’s powers […]
In the fourth quarter (Q4), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized 71 settlement agreements with companies small and large across the United States. This represents a significant decrease in enforcement actions, down from 158 penalties issued in Q3 and 106 in Q2. However, the actions taken resulted in almost $2.5 million in fines. In […]
What have OSHA’s compliance officers been up to lately? Take a look at some of the more significant enforcement cases from the past several months to find out. From the usual suspects like fall hazards and excavations to some less typical cases, recent enforcement activity illustrates the importance of a strong safety and health program […]
The fact that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cannot inspect every U.S. workplace is little consolation when the agency decides to inspect yours. We take you inside an OSHA inspection and provide tips to help your organization prepare for a successful outcome.
California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) cited Underground Construction Co., Inc., for serious health and safety violations after two of its employees contracted valley fever.
The National Employment Law Project claimed Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) enforcement activity has declined in the past two years. The report, “Workplace Safety Enforcement Continues to Decline in Trump Administration,” points to a low number of OSHA inspectors as the primary cause. The full picture, however, is likely more complicated.