June 2, 2016

OSHA finds Des Moines postal sorting facility failed to train workers in emergency plans, blocked exits and routes, had inoperable fire doors

Employer name: U.S. Postal Service, 2323 Forest Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa

Citations issued: June 2, 2016

Investigation findings: The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Des Moines Area Office cited the postal mail sorting facility for two repeated and two serious safety violations.

June 2, 2016

OSHA cites boat manufacturer for fire, explosion and electric shock hazards

Employer name: Nautic Star LLC

Inspection site: 500 Waterway Drive, Amory, Mississippi 38821

June 1, 2016

OSHA fines leading rail equipment manufacturer $105K for exposing workers to several cancer-causing chemicals, other hazards

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Federal workplace safety and health inspectors have cited a Steuben County rail manufacturing and repair service facility for 17 serious violations, including exposing employees to unsafe levels of known cancer-causing chemicals such as cadmium, lead, nickel and

June 1, 2016

Prompted by severe workplace injury, OSHA investigation at Georgia nursery reveals deadly workplace hazards; nearly $47K in fines proposed

Employer name: Evergreen Nursery Inc.

Inspection site: 1501 Dials Road, Statham, Georgia 30666

Citations issued: The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued citations to Evergreen Nursery on May 31 for 18 serious safety violations.

May 31, 2016

Workers exposed to chemical hazards, other safety and health dangers at Bethlehem global flavor, fragrance manufacturer

Employer name: Ungerer & Company

Inspection site: 110 North Commerce Way, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Citations issued: On May 25, 2016, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued one repeat and six serious violations, and one other-than-serious violation.

May 31, 2016

OSHA cites Idaho potato processor for major safety and health violations

BOISE – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration found an Idaho frozen food manufacturer failed to safeguard employees and was unprepared to respond to a potentially lethal release of 1,300 lbs. of anhydrous ammonia on Dec. 1, 2015.

May 31, 2016

Whistleblower-Severe Violator pilot program further protects workers who report violations of law, safety and health in Kansas City region

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – To further protect workers who report violations of law, safety and health, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration is launching a pilot for its first severe violator enforcement program for employers that continually and willfully disregard the rights of whistleblowers.

May 31, 2016

Tower painting contractor sees fines more than double after contesting OSHA violations in 2012 worker fatality

EDISON, N.J. – A New York-area employer has learned that refusing to comply with federal workplace safety standards and then failing to accept responsibility for the violations can cost significantly more –in penalties– once the U.S. Department of Labor litigates the matter.

May 31, 2016

Paterson commercial launderer cited for exposing workers to carbon monoxide danger, other safety and health hazards

Employer name: Purrfect Enterprises Inc., 262 Clinton St., Paterson, New Jersey

Citations issued: On May 23, 2016, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued citations for 22 serious violations and one other-than-serious violation.

May 26, 2016

Repeat safety and health violator US Chutes Inc. fails to correct hazards, ‘needlessly places its workers at risk’ of illness, injury

HARTFORD, Conn.  – After the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited and fined U.S. Chutes Inc.’s Bantam plant $94,428 for repeated and serious safety violations in January 2015, the manufacturer of galvanized chutes for laundry and trash conveyors asked for time to correct the hazards completely.

May 25, 2016

Obstructed emergency exits at two New Rochelle CVS stores: OSHA

TARRYTOWN, N.Y. – Responding to complaints, inspectors from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration found access to emergency exits at two New Rochelle CVS stores blocked by merchandise, boxes and other objects. As a result, OSHA is citing the retailer for two repeated violations of workplace safety standards and proposing a total of $88,000 in fines.

May 25, 2016

OSHA: Ohio gun shop’s lead, respiratory hazards endanger workers

CUYAHOGA FALLS, Ohio – Federal safety and health investigators found that employees of an Ohio gun shop may face life-long health damage because their employer continues to expose them to lead hazards and has failed to establish a respiratory protection program.

May 25, 2016

Worker loses part of finger in unguarded machine at bearing manufacturer

Employer name: The Timken Company, Bucyrus, Ohio

Citations issued: May 18, 2016

May 24, 2016

Cambridge candy manufacturer, Boston staffing agency, cited by OSHA after temporary employee loses part of finger while operating machine

ANDOVER, Mass.  – A candy-wrapping machine surgically amputated part of a temporary worker’s left index finger at a subsidiary of Tootsie Roll Industries Inc. of Chicago on Jan. 6, 2016, an incident that his employer might have prevented by meeting federal safety and health standards. 

MJR, a Boston staffing company that does business as Snelling Staffing Services, supplied the worker to Cambridge Brands Inc.’s production facility at 810 Main St., in Cambridge.

May 24, 2016

South Florida roofing contractor continues to expose workers to dangerous falls and other safety hazards; OSHA proposes nearly $54K in fines

Employer name: Payton Roofing Inc.

Inspection site: 4160 NW, 21st St., Buildings B and D, Lauderhill, Florida 33313

Citations issued: Citations were issued to the employer on May 23.

May 23, 2016

OSHA finds lack of proper ‘work zone’ in plumber’s death as he repaired leak under Philadelphia’s 63rd Street

PHILADELPHIA – Had his employer properly created a work zone, a passing car on Philadelphia’s 63rd Street might not have struck and killed a 27-year-old plumber working to repair an underground leak on a mid-November night in 2015. 

May 23, 2016

OSHA cites Midwest Grain & Barge Co. for exposing workers to grain-handling hazards at Missouri site

Employer name: First Missouri Terminals Inc. operating as Midwest Grain & Barge Company Inc.
179 Rushing Road, Scott City, Missouri 63780                                

Citations issued: May 19, 2016

Investigation findings: The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s

May 19, 2016

Pier 1 Imports endangers workers again with blocked exits, stacked boxes

GLENDALE, Wis. – Pier 1 Imports’ workers in Glendale are the latest group of employees to be put at risk by  the national home décor retailer’s failure to prevent boxes from blocking aisles and being piled at dangerous heights. Federal workplace safety inspectors have found similar safety hazards at several other U.S. store locations.

May 19, 2016

Jefferson County metal manufacturer cited for 27 serious violations in federal workplace safety inspection, faces $47K in fines

Employer name: Falls Creek Powdered Metals Inc., 82 Industrial Drive, Brockway, Pennsylvania

Citations issued: The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued 27 serious citations on May 17, 2016.

May 19, 2016

OSHA fines 2 Pennsylvania contractors more than $236K for again exposing employees to serious workplace dangers

Employers name:

  • Penn Stucco Systems Inc., 385 West Ridge Pike, Limerick, Pennsylvania
  • BC Stucco and Stone, 36 Marian Court, Upper Darby, Pennsylvania

Inspection site: 3018 West Thompson St., Philadelphia

General contractor Westrum Development Co. hired Penn Stucco Systems Inc. to complete stucco work on a building at the site location. Penn then contracted BC Stucco and Stone to provide labor for the job.