Egregious safety violations result in proposed fines of $378,000

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit rejected a challenge by the National Roofing Contractors Association to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's December 2010 directive on the use of fall protection in residential construction. The directive withdrew an earlier one that allowed certain residential construction employers to bypass some fall protection requirements.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration is issuing a hazard alert to hair salon owners and workers about potential formaldehyde exposure from working with some hair smoothing and straightening products.

First meeting to be held April 19-20, open to public

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today announced the appointment of 15 new members to the Maritime Advisory Committee for Occupational Safety and Health, which will hold an open meeting on April 19 and 20 at the U.S. Department of Labor's headquarters in Washington.

INGLESIDE, Texas The U.S. Department of Labor s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has recognized the employees and management of Basic Industries Ltd. at Kiewit Offshore Services in Ingleside for achieving three years of excellence in the company s employee safety and health program. The Basic Industries facility has been designated as a star site in OSHA s Voluntary Protection Programs. Basic Industries is to be commended for demonstrating excellence in effective safety and health management, said William A.

BISMARCK, N.D. The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited North Central Farmers Elevator in Ipswich, S.D., with six willful violations for exposing workers to being engulfed by grain. Proposed penalties total $378,000.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration today applauded a ruling by Chief Administrative Law Judge Covette Rooney of the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission upholding the citation and full penalty issued to Wal-Mart Stores Inc. for inadequate crowd management following a November 2008 trampling death of a worker at one of the company's retail locations in New York.

LAFAYETTE, La. – Furthering safety and health for oil and gas workers in Louisiana is the goal of an alliance signed today by the Baton Rouge Area Office of the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the South Louisiana Service Transmission, Exploration and Production Safety Network.

Change would involve checking box for a musculoskeletal disorder

Company receives 46 safety and health violations at 3 Ohio facilities

MORRAL, Ohio – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Gavilon Grain LLC in Morral following the September 2010 death of a 20-year-old worker who was caught in a discharge auger while cleaning out a grain bin.

Agency doing everything possible to support good, safe jobs

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration today announced that it has temporarily withdrawn from review by the Office of Management and Budget its proposal to restore a column for work-related musculoskeletal disorders on employer injury and illness logs. The agency has taken this action to seek greater input from small businesses on the impact of the proposal and will do so through outreach in partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy.

Employers fined nearly $1.4 million

MOUNT CARROLL, Ill. – The U.S. Department of Labor has fined Haasbach LLC in Mount Carroll and Hillsdale Elevator Co. in Geneseo and Annawan, Ill., following the deaths of three workers, including two teenagers. The workers were killed when they suffocated after being engulfed by grain.

Lead Enterprises Inc. issued 32 citations, more than $307,000 in penalties

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued citations to Lead Enterprises Inc. in Miami, Fla., alleging that the company knowingly neglected to protect employees from lead exposure. The company is being cited with 32 safety and health violations, and $307,200 in total proposed penalties.

Agency examines other approaches to prevent work-related hearing loss

Chicago-area contractor previously issued 13 citations, $360,000 for failing to protect workers

CHICAGO – The U.S. Department of Labor is seeking an administrative court order requiring Gerardi Sewer & Water Co., a Norridge, Ill.-based contractor, to provide a monthly report of its work locations to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, permit unannounced jobsite audits by qualified independent consultants and annually train workers on cave-in protection for the next two years.

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis will re-establish the charter of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Maritime Advisory Committee for Occupational Safety and Health. Established in 1995, the committee is composed of approximately 15 members who are industry professionals selected to represent the interests of the maritime community. A notice is published in today's Federal Register, which may be viewed at http://s.dol.gov/CJ.

Agency rescinds Clinton-era directive and gives workers more safeguards against falls

NACOSH meeting scheduled for Jan. 19-20, 2011

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today announced appointment of five new members to the National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health. The department's emphasis on worker safety and health was enhanced by these new appointees, who will serve two-year terms, and are leaders in the fields of medicine, academia and safety program development.

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration today cited the hazardous waste management processor, WRR Environmental Services Co., for failing to implement measures to prevent potentially catastrophic chemical fires and explosions at its facility in Eau Claire. OSHA has issued 14 willful and one serious citation to the company with proposed penalties of $787,000 for failing to fully develop and implement a process safety management program at the facility.