CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Corpus Christi Grain Co. in Corpus Christi for six willful and 20 serious violations with total proposed penalties of $258,900. OSHA's Corpus Christi Area Office initiated its inspection at the company's facility on Talbert Lane after it was reported that a worker was engulfed while emptying grain from a storage bin. The employee was rescued due to the exceptional efforts of the Corpus Christi Fire Department.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Corpus Christi Grain Co. in Corpus Christi for six willful and 20 serious violations with total proposed penalties of $258,900. OSHA's Corpus Christi Area Office initiated its inspection at the company's facility on Talbert Lane after it was reported that a worker was engulfed while emptying grain from a storage bin. The employee was rescued due to the exceptional efforts of the Corpus Christi Fire Department.

Date of Action:  Sept. 30, 2011

Type of Action:  Consent judgment and order

Name(s) of Defendant: Otorhinolaryngology Associates, P.C., Otorhinolaryngology Associates, P.C. Profit Sharing Plan, and Dr. Rickey Gene Love

SAGINAW, Texas – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Minneapolis-based Horizon Milling LLC for 17 serious violations for exposing workers to multiple safety hazards at the company's facility in Saginaw. Proposed penalties total $57,000.

"Employers are responsible for protecting workers from injuries and illnesses," said Jack Rector, OSHA's area director in Fort Worth. "It is very fortunate that no one was hurt at this facility."

BROOKSHIRE, Texas – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited M-Power Chemicals LC in Brookshire for 14 serious and two other-than-serious violations, including exposing employees to respiratory and combustible dust hazards. Proposed penalties total $54,600.

"This company jeopardized the safety and health of its workers by exposing them to respiratory and combustible dust hazards," said David Doucet, director of OSHA's Houston North Area Office. "Long-term exposure to dust can lead to disabling illnesses."

Partners include Facebook, the National Association of Colleges and Employers, DirectEmployers Association and the National Association of State Workforce Agencies

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending October 15, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 403,000, a decrease of 6,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 409,000. The 4-week moving average was 403,000, a decrease of 6,250 from the previous week's revised average of 409,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.9 percent for the week ending October 8, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.9 percent.

746 applicants in Amarillo and Hereford, Texas, affected

Miners, mine operators urged to "knock out" winter hazards

ARLINGTON, Va. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration has launched its annual "Winter Alert" campaign to call attention to the dangers caused by cold weather. Statistics show that coal-mine explosions occur most often during the colder months, October through March.

BROOKSHIRE, Texas – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited M-Power Chemicals LC in Brookshire for 14 serious and two other-than-serious violations, including exposing employees to respiratory and combustible dust hazards. Proposed penalties total $54,600.

"This company jeopardized the safety and health of its workers by exposing them to respiratory and combustible dust hazards," said David Doucet, director of OSHA's Houston North Area Office. "Long-term exposure to dust can lead to disabling illnesses."

MINDEN, Neb. – he U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited America's Fiberglass Animals for eight repeat and seven serious violations of safety and health standards found during an inspection at the company's manufacturing facility in Minden, which was conducted as a follow-up after the company moved operations from Hastings. Two failure-to-abate notices also were issued because the company had not corrected employee respiratory hazards cited at the Hastings location. Proposed fines total $169,260.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration and the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance will co-host a free health law compliance assistance seminar from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. CDT on Tuesday, Oct. 25, and Wednesday, Oct. 26. The event will be held at the Scarritt–Bennett Center, located at 1008 S. 19th Ave., Nashville, Tenn. 37212.

Market Basket store failed to call emergency services after employee fall injury

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics today announced that nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses among private industry employers declined in 2010 to a rate of 3.5 cases per 100 equivalent full-time workers, down from a total case rate of 3.6 in 2009. Nearly 3.1 million injuries and illnesses were reported among private sector industry employers in 2010, down from 3.3 million reported in 2009. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis issued the following statement:

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $2,283,567 National Emergency Grant to create temporary jobs for eligible dislocated workers to assist with cleanup and recovery efforts in northwest Missouri following floods that occurred from June 1 to Aug. 1.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $676,388 National Emergency Grant increment to continue providing re-employment services to workers who were affected by layoffs at three Electrolux facilities in Jefferson and Webster City, Iowa, as well as three of the company's suppliers in Ames and Webster City, Iowa. More than 700 workers will be assisted by the funds, an increase from the original 450 served under the initial award.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced an $815,740 National Emergency Grant increment to continue re-employment services for about 800 workers affected by the closure of the John Morrell and Co. pork processing plant in April 2010 and resulting layoffs at four companies whose businesses were impacted by that closure: Jacobson Bekins Logistics, Mossberg Sanitarian, High-Tech Electric, and United Vending and Food Service. All five companies are located in Sioux City, Iowa.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today awarded more than $7.6 million in grants to five states to design and implement innovative strategies that will improve re-employment services for unemployed workers. States receiving these funds responded to a "call to innovate" around a new national vision and framework that aim to create an integrated workforce customer registration process, use real-time data for enhanced decision-making, highlight skills transferability and leverage social media tools.

MARSHFIELD, Wis. – The U.S. Department of Labor has sued B & K Builders Inc. of Marshfield and its co-owners, Robert Aschenbrenner and Kenneth Staab, to restore $17,835.41 plus interest to the company’s 401(k) profit-sharing plan. Additionally, the suit seeks restitution of $97,307.79 from B & K Builders Inc. and Staab as fiduciaries to the B&K Builders Inc. Prevailing Wage Plan. The case is the result of an investigation by the department’s Employee Benefits Security Administration into alleged violations of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.

4th operation to be placed on potential pattern of violations status

ARLINGTON, Va. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration has placed Kevin R. Yonts' Mine No. 2 in Letcher County, Ky., operated by Vision Coal, on potential pattern of violations status based on data gathered during agency audits. MSHA found that 19 out of 39 audited mines either failed to report injuries or underreported the lost time associated with reported injuries, and four of the 19 met the criteria for a PPOV.