April 26, 2016

US Mine Safety and Health Administration announces results of special impact inspections in March 2016

Who: U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration

What: The Mine Safety and Health Administration announced today that federal inspectors issued 157 citations, one order and two safeguards during special impact inspections conducted at 10 coal mines and six metal and nonmetal mines in March.

Where: MSHA conducted special impact inspections at mines in Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming.

April 26, 2016

OSHA finds multiple violations at Viking Blast & Wash Systems after metal bar strikes, kills lathe operator

ROSE HILL, Kan. ‒ Safety guards may have prevented a metal bar from striking and killing a 24-year-old lathe operator at a Rose Hill industrial cleaning equipment manufacturer, federal investigators found.

April 26, 2016

Tragedy struck when Georgia auto transport company illegally required minor to operate hazardous equipment

SAVANNAH, Ga. – A 17-year-old worker, who died when a car fell off a hydraulic lift and crushed him in November 2015,  was operating hazardous equipment in violation of federal law at a Savannah motor vehicle shipping facility, the U.S. Department of Labor has determined.

April 25, 2016

OSHA finds chemical manufacturer lacked proper procedures

Employer name: Harcros Chemicals Inc.,
Kansas City, Kansas

Citations issued: April 19, 2016

Investigation findings: The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration

April 25, 2016

OSHA cites Wisconsin paper mill after worker injured fatally while servicing operating conveyor belt

LADYSMITH, Wis. ‒ A machine operator who suffered fatal injuries as he serviced a high-speed conveyor belt in a Ladysmith paper mill in October 2015 might still be alive if his employer had ensured that equipment was powered down and locked out before the 46-year-old man entered the hazardous area.

April 25, 2016

Black Lung Benefits Act final rule protects coal miners’ health

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs today issued a final rule to strengthen safeguards for the health of coal workers.

April 21, 2016

OSHA cites machine hazards at GE Circleville Lamp Plant

Employer name: General Electric, Circleville Lamp Plant, Circleville, Ohio

Citations issued: April 20, 2016

April 21, 2016

Findlay auto parts manufacturer again exposes workers to machine hazards

Employer name: Sanoh America Inc., 1849 Industrial Dr., Findlay, Ohio                  

Citations issued: April 18, 2016

Investigation findings: The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration

April 21, 2016

US Labor Department conducting wage survey of building construction projects in New York’s Jefferson, Madison, Onondaga and Oswego counties

PHILADELPHIA – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division is conducting a building construction survey in New York’s Jefferson, Madison, Onondaga and Oswego counties to collect data on wages paid to workers on all active building construction projects in those counties between Jan. 1, 2015 and Dec. 31, 2015, New Hampshire between April 1, 2014, and March 31, 2015. This survey is not limited to federally funded construction projects.

April 21, 2016

FACT SHEET: Investing $90 Million through ApprenticeshipUSA to Expand Proven Pathways into the Middle Class

Since the beginning of his Administration, President Obama has focused on creating an economy that works for every American. Under President Obama, our economy has added 14.4 million jobs over 73 straight months, the longest streak of job creation on record. The jobs available today, and the jobs of the future, are higher-skill jobs that require more education and advanced skills.

April 21, 2016

North Florida contractor continues to expose roofing workers to dangerous falls, other safety hazards; OSHA proposes nearly $77K in penalties

Employer name: Bobby Campbell Roofing Inc.

Inspection site: 558 Pullman Circle, St. Augustine, Florida 32084

Citations issued: Citations were issued to the employer on April 16.

April 21, 2016

Birmingham plumbing contractor deliberately ignores OSHA safety standards, exposing its workers to trench cave-in hazards

Employer’s names: Stephens Plumbing Inc.

Inspection site: 2050 Eastern Blvd., Montgomery, Alabama 36117

April 21, 2016

Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report

In the week ending April 16, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 247,000, a decrease of 6,000 from the previous week's unrevised level of 253,000. This is the lowest level for initial claims since November 24, 1973 when it was 233,000. The 4-week moving average was 260,500, a decrease of 4,500 from the previous week's unrevised average of 265,000.

April 20, 2016

Labor Department files suit to recover over $110,000 for employee benefits plan of The Leiter Group Attorneys and Counselors Professional Corporation

Date of Action: April 19, 2016

Type of Actions: Employee Retirement Income Security Act Lawsuit

Defendants: The Leiter Group Attorneys and Counselors Professional Corporation and Thomas E. Leiter

April 20, 2016

OSHA finds tank manufacturing facility failed to fix discrepancies, continues to expose workers to respiratory cancer risk, other hazards

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Just six months after citing a global equipment provider to the biopharma industry for exposing workers to hazardous levels of hexavalent chromium and potentially deafening noise as they welded and grinded stainless steel and other alloy steels, federal investigators found the company has failed to take steps to protect its workers at its Springfield facility.

April 20, 2016

US Labor Department awards $1.3M in incremental funding for Arkansas’ clean-up, recovery efforts after severe summer storms in 2015

State: Arkansas

Type of Award: National Dislocated Worker Grant

Initial Amount Approved: $2,200,000

Incremental Amount Awarded: $1,332,62

Funding Awarded to: Arkansas Department of Workforce Services

Number of Workers Served: Approximately 111

April 20, 2016

Department secures consent judgment to restore of $95K to 401(k) plan sponsored by Brunk Industries Inc. in Oakdale, California

Date of Action:  April 18, 2015

Type of Action: Consent Judgment and Order  

Names of Defendants:  Brunk Industries Inc., James Brunk, and the Contractors and Employees 401(k) Plan

April 20, 2016

US Labor Department investigation helps Boise medical employer correct violations in its FMLA protocols

Employer: St. Luke’s Regional Medical Center

Sites: 390 E. Bannock, Boise, Idaho