July 31, 2014

OSHA News Release: Fiberdome Inc. agrees to limit employee exposure to styrene, accept general duty clause citation issued by OSHA at Lake Mills, Wis., fiberglass plant [07/31/2014]

LAKE MILLS, Wis. — Fiberdome Inc. has agreed to limit employee exposure to styrene, pay a $2,000 penalty and accept a general duty clause citation under the Occupational Safety and Health Act alleging that an employee was exposed to styrene over the industry agreed-upon level. The agreement resolves all outstanding citations issued to Fiberdome in September 2013 by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

July 31, 2014

OSHA News Release: Explosion at Tonawanda Coke Corp. results in serious safety violations and $161,100 in US Department of Labor OSHA fines [07/31/2014]

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Tonawanda Coke Corp. and Kirchner LLC face a total of $161,100 in fines from the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration following an explosion that occurred Jan. 31, 2014, at the 3875 River Road plant in Tonawanda. The explosion collapsed brick walls, damaged electrical equipment and injured two permanent plant employees and one temporary employee.

July 31, 2014

OSHA News Release: Cell tower company cited by OSHA for safety hazards following fatality in Clarksburg, West Virginia, tower collapse in February 2014 [07/31/2014]

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — Following the collapse of a Clarksburg communication tower in February 2014 that seriously injured two and claimed the lives of two employees and a volunteer firefighter, S and S Communication Specialists Inc. has been cited for two serious workplace safety violations. The citations issued to the Hulbert, Oklahoma-based company follow an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

July 30, 2014

OSHA News Release: Home Depot USA's Chicago store cited by OSHA for serious hazards [07/30/2014]

CHICAGO — Home Depot USA Inc. has been cited for six, including two repeat, one willful and three serious safety violations, at its home improvement store on North Kimball Avenue in Chicago. The repeat and willful violations involved lack of training and maintenance for powered industrial vehicles. Proposed penalties total $110,700.

July 30, 2014

OSHA News Release: Cabinet manufacturer Oak Creations exposed Columbus, Montana, workers to fire, explosion, amputation and respiratory hazards [07/30/2014]

BILLINGS, Mont. — A 55-year-old finish sander at Oak Creations Inc. died after acute exposure to wood dust during his 15 years with the company.

July 29, 2014

OSHA News Release: Georgia roofing contractor cited for repeat and serious violations following US Department of Labor OSHA inspections [07/29/2014]

ATLANTA — Pablo Lopez of Norcross has been cited by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration for three repeat and one serious safety violation following inspections at two work sites in Milton and Smyrna where employees were performing roofing work without fall protection. The inspections began in February and April 2014 as part of the agency's Regional Emphasis Program on Falls in Construction.

July 28, 2014

OSHA News Release: Employees of P. Gioioso & Sons Inc. faced electrocution hazards from power lines at Massachusetts work site [07/28/2014]

BOSTON — Employees of P. Gioioso & Sons Inc. were exposed to possible electrocution from working close to energized power lines at a Cambridge work site where required safeguards were not used. A May 9 inspection by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration found that employees used a trench rod and a fiberglass pole with a metal end to lift overhead power lines, so that workers could move excavating equipment under the lines and onto the work site. The Hyde Park contractor faces $70,290 in proposed fines

July 28, 2014

OSHA News Release: US Department of Labor's OSHA cites Keymark Corp. for failing to protect workers against chemical, noise and fall hazards at Fonda, New York, plant [07/28/2014]

ALBANY, N.Y. — Workers at Keymark Corp.'s aluminum extruding plant on Route 334 in Fonda were exposed to the hazardous substance chromium, high noise levels and falls of up to 17 feet due to the employer's failure to provide and ensure proper safeguards.

July 22, 2014

OSHA News Release: Popular retail store Forever 21 fined $158,000 by US Department of Labor's OSHA for repeat workplace safety violations at New Jersey location [07/22/2014]

WAYNE, N.J. — The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited fashion retail chain Forever 21 for exposing employees to serious safety hazards at its store in Wayne. OSHA inspected the store in January 2014 after receiving a complaint alleging dangerous conditions. It proposed $158,000 in penalties for three repeat violations.

July 22, 2014

OSHA News Release: United Airlines cited at Newark, N.J., airport for repeat and serious safety hazards [07/22/2014]

NEWARK, N.J. — United Airlines Inc. has exposed ground operation workers at the Newark airport to hazardous conditions, prompting the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration to issue 16 citations and propose penalties of $101,300.

July 22, 2014

OSHA News Release: OSHA extends enforcement effort in Billings, Montana, following hailstorm, asks employers to protect roofing and construction workers against falls [07/22/2014]

BILLINGS, Mont. — Following a major hailstorm on May 18 and a resulting increase in construction, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration is extending enforcement activity and asks for Billings-area employers, workers and consumers to protect roofing and construction workers against fall hazards. The Weekend Work Initiative aims to increase workplace surveillance of construction fall hazards and other dangers to prevent employee injuries and fatalities.

July 21, 2014

OSHA News Release: January structural collapse leading to 2 worker fatalities, 9 injuries at International Nutrition in Omaha caused by overloaded storage bins [07/21/2014]

OMAHA, Neb. — The Jan. 20 structural collapse of International Nutrition Inc.'s Omaha-facility, was caused by overloading nine storage bins on the building's roof level, an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has found. The collapse at the livestock feed supplement manufacturer caused the death of two workers and injuries to nine others.

July 21, 2014

OSHA News Release: US Labor Department's OSHA cites Ohio Lowe's for repeat electrical hazards [07/21/2014]

ZANESVILLE, Ohio — Popular home improvement chain Lowe's Cos. Inc. has been cited for five repeat and one serious safety violation for exposing workers to electrical hazards and failing to provide information on respiratory protection to employees at its Zanesville store. OSHA initiated the inspection in March 2014 after the store reported a higher than average injury rate. Proposed penalties total $53,240.

July 17, 2014

OSHA News Release: US Department of Labor's OSHA cites Piqua Champion Foundry for repeat, serious violations [07/17/2014]

PIQUA, Ohio — Nine employees of Piqua Champion Foundry Inc. were exposed to dangerous levels of silica dust, respiratory hazards and unsafe work conditions while grinding castings and relining a furnace. Silica exposure can cause silicosis, an irreversible lung disease, and other serious health hazards. Following its January 2014 inspection, the U.S.

July 17, 2014

OSHA News Release: Connecticut contractor cited by US Labor Department's OSHA for 17 serious workplace health violations at Easthampton, Massachusetts, renovation site [07/17/2014]

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Workers performing abrasive blasting during the renovation of an Easthampton mill were overexposed to lead and silica and faced other health hazards due to their employer's failure to supply basic, legally required safeguards. As a result, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited Maher Industries, doing business as A Fast Blast, for 17 serious violations of workplace health standards.

July 16, 2014

OSHA News Release: Midwest Farmers Cooperative cited by OSHA for serious violations after truck driver dies from exposure to ammonia vapor cloud [07/16/2014]

TECUMSEH, Neb. — Following the death of a truck driver at Midwest Farmers Cooperative's grain handling facility in Tecumseh, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited the company for 12 serious safety violations. The driver, who was not provided a respirator or personal protective clothing, was overcome by anhydrous ammonia vapors while transferring the liquid from a semitruck to bulk storage tanks.

July 16, 2014

OSHA News Release: US Department of Labor's OSHA cites repeat violations at Miami Valley Polishing for exposing workers to excessive noise, respiratory hazards [07/16/2014]

PIQUA, Ohio — Miami Valley Polishing has been cited for continuing to expose workers to excessive noise levels at its Piqua metal polishing plant following a January 2014 inspection. The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration previously cited the company in 2013 for the same violation. OSHA has proposed fines of $50,820 for the two repeat and three serious violations cited.

July 15, 2014

OSHA News Release: US Department of Labor OSHA violations issued for repeatedly exposing workers to amputation hazards at Illinois storage system manufacturer [07/15/2014]

PONTIAC, Ill. — For the second time this year, Interlake Mecalux Inc. has been cited for exposing workers to amputation hazards by failing to have adequate guards on dangerous machinery. The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration found two repeat and two serious violations following a March 2014 inspection at the company's Pontiac plant.

July 15, 2014

OSHA News Release: US Department of Labor's OSHA launches focused enforcement program to prevent injuries and fatalities in North Dakota's high-hazard industries [07/15/2014]

BISMARCK, N.D. — Since January 2012, 34 North Dakota workers in the oil and gas and construction industries have died because of work-related injuries. During that period, their deaths accounted for 87 percent of all North Dakota fatalities investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Health and Safety Administration.