Practical EHS Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Signs are an important part of any workplace. They communicate critical information to workers and help keep everyone safe. But not all signs are created equal. If you want to make sure your workplace is as safe as possible, you need to use effective signage. There are a few key things to keep in mind […]
Do you have a robust antiretaliation program? Are you prepared for an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) whistleblower investigation? OSHA has had whistleblower protection authority since its beginning. Section 11(c) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 established protections for those who file safety and health complaints or participate in inspections or […]
On October 27, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced it cited an Ohio manufacturer with eight willful violations, one repeat violation, six serious violations, and one other-than-serious violation after the company’s seventh severe worker injury in five years. Cited violations included exposing workers to machine hazards by failing to properly guard and lock […]
This week, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced citations for a Davie, Florida, erosion prevention contractor and a Savannah, Georgia, crawl space remediation company in separate worker fatalities. On October 13, the agency announced it cited Erosion Barrier Installations Corp. of Davie for 2 willful and 10 serious violations, with proposed penalties totaling […]
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) ordered ExxonMobil Corp. to reinstate two illegally terminated employees when the company suspected the two leaked information to The Wall Street Journal, the agency announced October 7. OSHA ordered the employees’ reinstatement following a whistleblower investigation under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and ordered the company to reinstate the employees […]
On September 22, the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Oregon OSHA) announced fines totaling more than $144,000 issued to 2 contractors for violations, including repeat offenses, of state fall protection rules at worksites in Salem and Woodburn. The violations put multiple workers at risk of serious injury or death from falls to lower levels, […]
On September 20, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced the postponement of a stakeholder meeting on possible changes to the agency’s process safety management (PSM) standard (87 Federal Register (FR) 57520). The meeting, which was originally scheduled for September 28, will be held October 12. Written comments must be submitted by November 14. […]
On September 15, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced an expansion of its Severe Violator Enforcement Program (SVEP). The program’s new criteria include violations of all hazards and OSHA standards and will continue to focus on repeat offenders in all industries. Under the agency’s 2010 policy, an employer could be placed in the […]
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is working to update its own processes as it emphasizes the need for businesses to truly embrace health and safety. Speaking at the National Safety Council’s 2022 NSC Safety Congress & Expo in San Diego last week, OSHA’s Assistant Secretary of Labor Doug Parker noted that in 2020, […]
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced it will host the Colorado Trench Safety Summit October 5 in Brighton, Colorado, with the North American Excavation Shoring Association (NAXSA) in a joint effort to stem a rise in the number of trenching fatalities in the state. Since early 2021, 7 trenching-related fatalities have been reported […]