Companies ignored danger of asbestos at Okawville renovation project

OKAWVILLE, Ill. – As they did the hard work of removing floor tiles, insulation and other materials at what was once an elementary school, employees of two Illinois companies were unaware that they were exposed to deadly asbestos fibers.

Date of Action: Aug. 5, 2015

Type of Action: Consent Judgment and Order

Names of Defendants: American Hydraulics Corp., Kevin M. Lynch and Janette M. Rioux, individually and in their capacities as fiduciaries of the AHC Corp. 401(k) Plan

OKAWVILLE, Ill. — As they did the hard work of removing floor tiles, insulation and other materials at what was once an elementary school, employees of two Illinois companies were unaware that they were exposed to deadly asbestos fibers.

NORTH LIMA, Ohio — Emergency ambulance workers must concern themselves first with the needs of the people who depend on them. Employees working at a North Lima medical transport company also had to worry about the dangers of infection and disease because their employer failed to protect them.

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Pattern of Violations reforms put in place by the U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration have been "real game changers" in protecting miners and promoting a culture focused on safety and health in mines across the nation, Joseph A. Main, assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health, said today.

Date of Action: Aug. 5, 2015

Type of Action: Consent Judgment and Order

Names of Defendants: American Hydraulics Corp., Kevin M. Lynch and Janette M. Rioux, individually and in their capacities as fiduciaries of the AHC Corp. 401(k) Plan

Employer name: Bigston Corporation

Investigation site: 1590 Touhy Ave., Elk Grove Village, Illinois

Investigation findings: The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Chicago North Area Office issued 11 serious and two other-than-serious safety and health violations to the company on Aug. 4.

The serious violations include:

Employer name: FWD/Seagrave Apparatus, 105 East 12th Street, Clintonville, Wisconsin

Citations issued: Aug. 10, 2015

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor is seeking nominations for members of the new Workforce Information Advisory Council. The council is being established as required by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, enacted on July 22, 2014.

Employer name: Transporter Maintenance and Inspection LLC, a subsidiary of L & B Holdings LLC in Port Allen, Louisiana

Citations issued: The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited the employer on Aug. 6, 2015 from a complaint inspection for one willful, 27 serious and five other violations for exposing workers to various safety and health hazards.

Date of action: August 6, 2015

Type of action: Complaint

Name of defendants: Storms & Lowe Associates Inc.; James R. Manning; Roger Aguilera; and the Storms & Lowe 401 (k) Plan

WASHINGTON — With the release of the July 2015 Employment Situation Report today, U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez says there are five things you should know about the numbers:

Breakthrough in long-sought change follows joint industry-labor request

WASHINGTON – The federal government is proposing a new standard that would dramatically lower workplace exposure to beryllium, a widely used material that can cause devastating lung diseases. The proposal would apply to an estimated 35,000 workers covered by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Participants: U.S. Department of Labor, Idaho Department of Labor

WASHINGTON — The federal government is proposing a new standard that would dramatically lower workplace exposure to beryllium, a widely used material that can cause devastating lung diseases. The proposal would apply to an estimated 35,000 workers covered by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

LORAIN, Ohio — While Republic Steel has made a significant investment in personnel, training and safety improvements, workers are still exposed to serious fall and chemical hazards at the company's century-old Lorain steel mill, U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspectors have found.

In a 2014 corporate settlement with OSHA, the company pledged to address earlier health and safety violations.

OSHA fines G&F Recycling and Salvage Inc. more than $47K

Employer's name: The investigation was conducted at G&F Recycling and Salvage Inc., a recycling operation located at 142 Frelinghuysen Ave. in Newark, New Jersey.

Employer name: Twitchell Technical Products LLC

Inspection site: 4031 Ross Clark Cir, Dothan, Alabama 36303

Date citations issued: The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued citations to the employer on Aug. 5, 2015. The inspection was initiated in April 20, 2015, as part of the agency's National Emphasis Program on Amputations.

Employer name: Grimco Inc., Fenton, MissouriInvestigation site: Grimco Inc. 861 East Tallmadge Road Akron, Ohio