December 26, 2024

US Department of Labor investigation finds Frisco contractor again exposing workers to potentially deadly trench collapse

FORT WORTH, TX A U.S. Department of Labor workplace safety investigation has found a Frisco contractor repeatedly exposed workers to serious hazards by sending them into unprotected trenches without providing a means of escape. 

December 26, 2024

Department of Labor finds Glenburn contractor ignored repeated warnings, site-specific safety plan in fatal trench collapse at Brownville worksite

AUGUSTA, ME – A federal workplace safety investigation has found a Glenburn general contractor’s decisions to ignore an onsite expert’s repeated warnings and the company’s own site-specific safety plan led to a fatal incident in June 2024. An employee suffered fatal crushing injuries when an unbraced retaining wall collapsed at a Brownville worksite.

December 20, 2024

Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health Doug Parker issues statement on 2023 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries

WASHINGTON The U.S. Department of Labor’s Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health, Doug Parker, has issued the following statement in regard to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ release of its 2023 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries on Dec. 19, 2024:

December 19, 2024

US Department of Labor announces settlement with Amazon requiring corporate-wide ergonomic measures at facilities across the country

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and Amazon have entered into a corporate-wide settlement to help better protect employees from hazardous working conditions leading to serious lower back and other musculoskeletal disorders at Amazon facilities. The settlement agreement resolves the department’s multiple ergonomics cases against Amazon.com Services LLC, in the first major multi-site investigation brought by OSHA in over a decade. 

December 16, 2024

US Department of Labor fines Des Plaines solar contractor $288K in penalties for exposing workers to deadly fall hazards

DES PLAINES, IL – The U.S. Department of Labor has cited a solar panel and battery storage company with two repeat safety violations after federal investigators found the company exposed workers to deadly fall hazards twice within three months. 

December 13, 2024

US Department of Labor finds contractor’s safety failures led to diver’s preventable fatality at underwater worksite at Manns Harbor bridge

MANNS HARBOR, NC – A Maryland-based construction contractor could have prevented a 47-year-old diver from suffering fatal injuries during an underwater dive test in June 2024 at the Manns Harbor Bridge on Croatan Sound. 

December 12, 2024

US Department of Labor announces release of detailed 2023 case data on more than 890K injuries, illnesses at over 91K workplaces

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the release of comprehensive data collected by its Occupational Safety and Health Administration on more than 890,000 workplace injuries and illnesses at more than 91,000 workplaces in calendar year 2023, including incident level details on the conditions and circumstances of injury and illness events. 

December 11, 2024

US Department of Labor finds safety failures by Marietta tree trimming contractor led to arborist’s electrocution

ATLANTA – A U.S. Department of Labor investigation has found a Marietta tree trimming contractor could have prevented the fatal injuries of a 38-year-old worker whose equipment came into contact with an unprotected power line less than 10 feet away from an Acworth worksite.

December 11, 2024

Department of Labor finalizes rule on proper fit requirements for personal protective equipment in construction

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor announced that its Occupational Safety and Health Administration has finalized a revision to the personal protective equipment standard for construction. The final rule explicitly requires the equipment to properly fit any construction worker who needs it, improving protections from hazardous conditions.

December 11, 2024

Department of Labor orders Asia Pacific Airlines to pay more than $2M to cargo pilot wrongly fired for reporting aircraft safety concerns

HAGATNA, GUAM – The U.S. Department of Labor has ordered Asia Pacific Airlines to pay more than $2 million in wages, damages and attorney’s fees to an employee reprimanded, suspended and later fired for raising aircraft safety concerns and refusing to fly a cargo plane that they believed had an unreliable engine.

December 10, 2024

Newark roofing contractor faces $328K in fines after investigators find workers exposed repeatedly to fall hazards at 3 worksites in a month

NEWARK, NJ  Federal workplace safety officials have again cited a Newark construction contractor for repeatedly violating U.S. Department of Labor safety requirements at three North Jersey worksites, exposing employees to falls from elevations, the construction industry’s leading cause of death and serious injuries. 

December 10, 2024

Department of Labor finds Alabama sausage manufacturer continues exposing workers to safety hazards, proposes $103K in penalties

ATALLA, AL – A follow-up inspection by the U.S. Department of Labor at an Atalla meat processing and packing facility in July 2024 found the company failing to correct safety hazards identified in two inspections dating back to 2022, continuing to endanger workers.

December 9, 2024

Bakeware company faces $182K in fines following 2 worker amputations because of unguarded machines

CLEVELAND – U.S. Department of Labor inspectors found a Cleveland bakeware manufacturer failed to prevent two workers from suffering injuries that resulted in amputations, incidents that could have been avoided with proper safety measures. 

December 6, 2024

Department of Labor seeks back wages, damages from US Postal Service for allegedly firing a worker who raised safety concerns

CHARLEROI, PA - The U.S. Department of Labor has filed suit against the U.S. Postal Service and two of its managers for wrongly terminating a contracted employee who raised safety concerns about loading dock equipment at the Charleroi Post Office.

December 5, 2024

Department of Labor cites North Florida contractors for willfully endangering employees in excavations without required safety protections

JACKSONVILLE, FL  In one week, U.S. Department of Labor safety inspectors found two contractors working in Jacksonville and Daytona Beach willfully exposing employees to one of the construction industry’s deadliest hazards: trench and excavation collapses and cave-ins. 

December 5, 2024

US Department of Labor finds lack of training, other failures led forklift operator to suffer fatal injuries at Elm Mott tire distribution facility

FORT WORTH, TX – A U.S. Department of Labor investigation revealed that proper workplace safety training and correct storage of pallets taller than 16 feet could have prevented the fatal injuries suffered by a forklift operator at a tire distribution center in Elm Mott.

December 4, 2024

Lake Zurich roofing contractor continues to ignore safety regulations, exposing workers to deadly fall hazards in 8 inspections since 2020

LAKE ZURICH, IL – For the eighth time since 2020, federal workplace safety inspectors have cited a Lake Zurich roofing contractor for exposing workers to falls from elevation, the leading cause of fatal and serious injuries among people employed in the construction industry.

December 2, 2024

US Department of Labor extends public comment period for proposed heat injury, illness prevention rule until Jan. 14, 2025

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced that its Occupational Safety and Health Administration has extended the public comment period for its proposed rule to protect workers from extreme heat exposure in indoor and outdoor workplaces to remain open until Jan. 14, 2025.

November 26, 2024

Ohio hardwood flooring manufacturer faces $255K in fines after worker suffers partial arm amputation when caught in machine at Portsmouth mill

 PORTSMOUTH, OH – Once again, the U.S. Department of Labor has cited a Portsmouth hardwood floor manufacturer with a long history of federal safety violations after the company reported a 23-year-old worker suffered a partial arm amputation while troubleshooting a rip saw machine at the manufacturer’s Charles Street facility.

November 22, 2024

Department of Labor reaches settlement with Mississippi pipe manufacturer to correct safety failures that led to 25-year-old worker’s fatal injuries

BAY SAINT LOUIS, MS – The U.S. Department of Labor has entered into a settlement agreement with a Mississippi steel pipe manufacturer with a long history of safety failures to correct recent conditions that led to a 25-year-old employee’s fatal injuries in January 2024 in Bay Saint Louis.