ANNAPOLIS, Md. — McDonald's franchise operators Gold Hat Inc. and Gold Hat II Inc., which have the same owner and are based in Annapolis, have agreed to pay $254,224 in back wages and liquidated damages to 138 employees following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division, which determined that violations of the minimum wage, overtime and child labor provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act occurred at nine of the operators' restaurant locations throughout Maryland.

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — Case Development LLC, the general building contractor of an apartment complex in Norman, has been cited by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration for serious and repeat violations and a proposed fine of $90,600 following a November 2013 inspection. OSHA found the company failed to protect workers from dangerous falls and other serious hazards.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Burrows Paper Corp., based in Little Falls, for repeat and serious safety violations at two of the company's work sites. Burrows faces $298,100 in proposed fines following inspections by OSHA's Syracuse Area Office.

WASHINGTON — Olivet Management LLC, a real estate development and management company that owns the former Harlem Valley Psychiatric Center in the Wingdale section of Dover Plains, N.Y., faces a total of $2,359,000 in proposed fines from the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

ATLANTA — The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration is partnering with construction contractors, the Federal Highway Administration, the state of Georgia and local government organizations to sponsor a one-hour safety stand-down at construction sites around Georgia during National Highway Work Zone Awareness Week from April 7-11.

ALBANY, N.Y. — The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has found that workers at Salko Kitchens Inc. were exposed to fire and explosion hazards and a potential occupational carcinogen due to deficient required safeguards. Proposed fines total $51,800.

WASHINGTON — The Occupational Safety and Health Administration today announced that it would be issuing a final rule to improve workplace safety and health for workers performing electric power generation, transmission and distribution work.

BROWNTOWN, Wis. — The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Grede Wisconsin Subsidiaries LLC for three violations, including one repeat, for failing to evaluate worker exposure to respirable crystalline silica dust and other hazards at the Browntown iron foundry. Worker inhalation of silica particles can lead to the development of disabling lung diseases, such as silicosis and cancer.

ROCKFORD, Ill. — The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Fischer Excavating Inc. for four safety violations, including one willful, for exposing workers to trenching hazards at a work site in Rockford. Proposed penalties total $58,100. OSHA initiated the November 2013 inspection under the National Emphasis Program for trenching and excavation.

GARFIELD, N.J. — The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Garfield-based East Coast Stucco & Construction Inc. for fall and scaffolding hazards found at a work site in North Brunswick, where a two-story restaurant was under construction. OSHA's November 2013 inspection was prompted by safety and health complaints regarding lack of fall protection at the site. Proposed penalties total $58,520 and include four violations for repeatedly putting workers at risk.

ATLANTA — The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has formed an alliance with the Georgia Concerned Beauty Professionals in Atlanta to provide hair salon owners and workers with information, guidance and training to protect employees from exposure to products that contain hazardous chemicals, such as formaldehyde.

SPARTA, N.J. — Diversified CPC International Inc. has been cited by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration for 15 serious violations of the process safety management standard at the chemical manufacturer's Sparta production facility. The August 2013 inspection was initiated under OSHA's Process Safety Management Covered Chemical Facilities National Emphasis Program.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — An employee of Atlantic Coast Asphalt, a part of Hubbard Construction Co., entered a hot liquid asphalt tank to cut out a section of piping when they became trapped by the tar substance at the company's plant in Jacksonville. The employee suffered severe burns to his legs and feet following an 8-hour rescue. As a result of the September 2013 incident, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited the company with 10 serious safety and health violations, carrying proposed penalties of $63,360.

PHILADELPHIA —— Employee exposure to safety hazards has resulted in citations issued to Top Class Construction Inc.after federal safety inspectors found eight serious and repeat violations at a Medford, N.J., residential construction site. The inspection, conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration, was initiated under a Local Emphasis Program focused on fall hazards, and has resulted in $44,880 in proposed penalties.

DANVILLE, Pa. —— Truck trailer manufacturer Great Dane Limited Partnership has been cited for two repeat violations by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration for exposing employees to hexavalent chromium at its Danville facility. OSHA opened its October 2013 investigation under its Hexavalent Chromium National Emphasis Program as a follow-up to a February 2013 investigation.

WASHINGTON — The Occupational Safety and Health Administration today began holding public hearings for the notice of proposed rulemaking on occupational exposure to crystalline silica. This marks the beginning of an intensive three weeks of public comment on the proposal, with hearings scheduled through Friday, April 4.

SWAINSBORO, Ga. — A 42-year-old worker fell approximately 19 feet off scaffolding to his death while applying stucco to a pre-existing building that was being renovated as a college dormitory for East Georgia State College in Swainsboro. The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration conducted an investigation following the Sept. 20, 2013, fatality and cited Jack Smiley, doing business as Smiley Plaster Co., for five safety violations, including a willful violation of the law.

NEW YORK — The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has ordered DISH Network to pay a former employee $157,024 in back wages, $100,000 in compensatory damages and take other corrective action.

COLUMBUS, Ohio —— ConAgra Foods Inc. has been cited for multiple safety violations at its Columbus-based flour mill. Most of the citations were issued because machines lacked proper guarding, one of the 10 most frequently cited standards by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The 13 safety violations, which include three repeat citations, carry proposed penalties of $117,000.

GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo. — Reconstruction Experts Inc. was cited by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration for three safety violations, including one willful. Chivas Contractors was also cited for three serious safety violations during a November 2013 complaint inspection of an unsafe trenching work site in Aurora. The combined proposed penalties total $81,400.