September 28, 2015

OSHA News Release: Aerial lift collapses, worker plummets at railcar facility [09/28/2015]

WOOD RIVER, Ill. — A 55-year-old carman fell more than 12 feet to the ground after his aerial lift collapsed. The worker had been standing on an elevated platform to install a canopy on a railcar, but the platform could not support his weight.

September 28, 2015

OSHA News Brief: Safety hazards persist at Indiana shipyard [09/28/2015]

Employer name: Corn Island Shipyard Inc., Grandview, Indiana

Citations issued: Sept. 28, 2015

Investigation findings: The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Indianapolis Area Office cited the company for five repeated, 14 serious and three other-than-serious safety and health violations, as a result of a March 2015 follow-up inspection.

September 28, 2015

OSHA News Brief: Dollar General Corp. exposes employees to workplace safety and health hazards at stores in Boone and Harrison counties [09/28/2015]

Employer name: Dollar General Corp., headquartered at 100 Mission Ridge, Goodlettsville, Tennessee. The two inspected stores are located at 421 Main Street in Madison, West Virginia, and 790 Main Street in West Milford, West Virginia.

Citations issued: On September 21, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued both stores citations for two repeat violations.

September 28, 2015

OSHA News Release: Woman has 2 fingers amputated while operating mechanical power press for first time at Homerville, Georgia, manufacturing facility [09/28/2015]

HOMERVILLE, Ga. — A 33-year-old woman had two fingers amputated as she used a mechanical power press for the first time without proper training or safety guards at the Homerville facility, federal inspectors have determined.

September 28, 2015

ETA News Brief: Massachusetts workers affected by layoffs in the Merrimack Valley manufacturing industry helped by $808K in reemployment grant [09/28/2015]

State: Massachusetts

Type of Award: National Dislocated Worker Grant

Total Amount Approved: $1,968,992

Initial Award Amount: $808,693

Awarded to: Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development

Number of Workers Served: Approximately 150

September 28, 2015

ETA News Release: Workforce Innovation Fund awards $35M in grants to enhance, evaluate training and employment strategies [09/28/2015]

WASHINGTON — To ensure that public workforce systems evolve to serve the needs of job seekers and businesses alike, the U.S. Department of Labor is awarding more than $35 million in grants to support and study federally funded employment and training programs.

September 28, 2015

MSHA News Release: US Mine Safety and Health Administration announces results of special impact inspections at 21 mines in August [09/28/2015]

Who: U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration

What: The Mine Safety and Health Administration announced today that federal inspectors issued 193 citations and 13 orders during special impact inspections conducted at 14 coal mines and seven metal and nonmetal mines in August.

Where: MSHA conducted special impact inspections at mines in Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

September 24, 2015

OSHA News Brief: Machine operators exposed to excessive heat at Sterling Technologies Inc. in Erie County [09/24/2015]

Employer name: Sterling Technologies Inc., 10047 Keystone Drive, Lake City, PA

Citations issued: On September 22, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued Sterling Technologies one general duty clause citation for exposing employees to heat stress conditions and one additional serious safety citation.

September 23, 2015

US Labor Department secures judgment to distribute more than $310K to participants in G&H Technology Inc. 401(k) Plan in Camarillo, California

Date of action: July 22, 2015

Type of action: Default Judgment and Order

Name of defendants: G&H Technology Inc. 401 (k) Retirement Savings Plan; XAF Inc., a Delaware corporation

Allegations: Based on an investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration, the department filed a civil complaint against XAF Inc., asking for the distribution of more than $310,000 in assets to the remaining participants in the 401(k) plan.

September 23, 2015

OSHA News Brief: Employees exposed to dangerous workplace hazards at Pennsauken aluminum services plant; company fined $308K [09/23/2015]

OSHA's investigation found 44 safety violations, including one willful

Employer name: Aluminum Shapes LLC, 9000 River Road, Delair, New Jersey.

September 22, 2015

WHD News Release: Halliburton pays nearly $18.3 million in overtime owed to more than 1,000 employees nationwide after US Labor Department investigation
[09/22/2015]

HOUSTON — In one of the largest recoveries of overtime wages in recent years for the U.S. Department of Labor, oil and gas service provider, Halliburton, has agreed to pay $18,293,557 to 1,016 employees nationwide. The department's Wage and Hour Division investigated Halliburton as part of an ongoing, multi-year compliance initiative in the oil and gas industry in the Southwest and Northeast.

September 22, 2015

WHD News Release: US Labor Department secures nearly $330K in back wages, liquidated damages for employees of restaurants operated by Antico Foods LLC [09/22/2015]

ATLANTA — An Atlanta restauranteur who is alleged to have cheated his workers out of their wages for years and threatened them if they cooperated with federal officials investigating his business conduct, has agreed to pay 60 employees a total of $329,445 in back wages and liquidated damages for violating their wage rights under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

September 22, 2015

OSHA News Release: OSHA cites Martin Foundry Co. for workplace lead exposure [09/22/2015]

Owner refused inspection until judge issued contempt order

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — After a judge issued a contempt order forcing a Kansas City foundry owner to allow an Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspection, the agency has cited Martin Foundry Co. for exposing workers to lead hazards.

September 22, 2015

OSHA News Brief: Queens manufacturer exposes employees to new and recurring hazards [09/22/2015]

Employer name: Juniper Elbow Co. Inc., doing business as Juniper Industries Inc., a metal products manufacturer located at 72-15 Metropolitan Ave. in the Middle Village section of Queens, New York.

Citations issued: On Sept. 9, 2015, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited the company for 4 repeat and 11 serious violations of workplace safety standards.

September 22, 2015

OSHA News Release: Amputation, other injuries at Pilgrim's Pride chicken facilities 'preventable' [09/22/2015]

MOOREFIELD, W.Va. — In less than 60 days, three employee injuries — including one worker who suffered the amputation of three fingers — brought federal inspectors to West Virginia poultry processing facilities operated by Pilgrim's Pride Corp., one of the world's largest chicken producers.

September 22, 2015

ETA News Release: More than $39 million in grants awarded to improve performance, integrity of state unemployment insurance programs and reduce worker misclassification [09/22/2015]

WASHINGTON — More than $39.3 million in federal grants awarded today will enhance unemployment insurance programs in 45 states and territories, and reduce the misclassification of employees as independent contractors, the U.S. Department of Labor announced.

The funding will help prevent and detect improper benefit payments, improve program performance, address outdated information technology systems, and combat employee misclassification that underpays and denies benefits to workers and hurts local economies.

September 21, 2015

WHD News Brief: Miami health products manufacturer pays more than $145K in back wages after US Labor Department investigation [09/21/2015]

Employer name: Millennium Natural Health Products Inc.

Investigation site: 10575 NW 37th Terrace, Miami, Florida 33178

September 21, 2015

OSHA News Brief: Pier 1 Imports in Fort Worth cited by OSHA for safety hazards at two sites; fines total $86,100 [09/21/2015]

Employer's name: Pier 1 Imports Inc., Heritage Parkway in Mansfield, Texas, and Trinity Blvd. in Fort Worth

Citations issued: Sept. 18, 2015