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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 six companies that ran afoul of OSHA regulations and paid the price.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is modernizing its approach to environmental compliance and efficiency through a project called “E-Enterprise for the Environment.” Yesterday we reviewed EPA’s plans for E-Enterprise as outlined in the Agency’s 2017 budget pertaining to air quality, water quality, and inspections. Today we will look at EPA’s budgetary plans for compliance […]
No one looks forward to the day when the regulatory authority arrives at your facility for an inspection. Will he or she find issues of noncompliance? Will an enforcement action or penalty be forthcoming? But remember, the ultimate goal of the inspector is not to write up a notice of violation but to ensure your […]
A lot of OSHA standards have requirements that must be fulfilled annually. In particular, OSHA’s fire safety standards have a number of inspection, testing, and training requirements that apply on an annual basis. Keep reading for a checklist of fire safety related annual requirements. Bulk Plants Handling Flammable Liquids At bulk plants handling flammable […]
Aging tanks, muddled inspections, and inadequate recordkeeping can increase the probability for underground storage tank (UST) spills and releases. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) confirms that more than 6,000 releases are discovered annually, and as of 2015, more than 525,000 total releases from USTs have occurred. UST owners and operators that fail to conduct […]
Yesterday we talked about some hefty fines that OSHA recently imposed on companies for exposing their workers to asbestos during a building renovation project. Today we will review required training for employees who must work with asbestos-containing material (ACM) in construction activities. In addition to the basic asbestos training requirements for general industry, OSHA has […]
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has long had enforcement guidance in place enabling it to enter into settlements that affect the operations of an entire corporation, rather than just a single facility. But these were mutually negotiated agreements; they were not something OSHA considered itself statutorily empowered to impose and enforce. That may […]
Generally, when the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) inspects an employer’s facility in one location, it issues citations and abatement requirements that apply only to that location. OSHA does not habitually attempt to issue citations and require abatement at facilities in other locations that are affiliated with the same employer—even in cases where repeat […]
Don’t get caught short by a U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) roadside inspection. In its most recent data for fiscal year (FY) 2016, DOT’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) had performed 26,570 roadside inspections of trucks targeting compliance with hazardous materials transportation regulations. During these inspections, DOT inspectors found 5,894 violations. The top violation […]
When the temperature drops below freezing, your pipes are at risk. Most people, including most business owners, are aware of this risk with respect to ordinary plumbing found in bathrooms and kitchens. But, have you considered whether your workplace sprinkler system is at risk? Frozen sprinkler system piping that bursts can cause serious water damage […]