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."

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.

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:

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

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 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.

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 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.

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.

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement regarding congressional passage of Trade Adjustment Assistance for Workers:

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending October 8, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 404,000, a decrease of 1,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 405,000. The 4-week moving average was 408,000, a decrease of 7,000 from the previous week's revised average of 415,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.9 percent for the week ending October 1, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's revised rate of 3.0 percent.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs has announced a $13 million competitive solicitation for cooperative agreements to combat exploitative child labor in Peru, including supporting efforts to address poverty and promote social inclusion.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs has awarded $1.5 million to Development Alternatives International Inc. of Bethesda, Md., to extend the existing Vietnam Industrial Relations Promotion Project by an additional two years. The first phase of the project was funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor is notifying former workers of six facilities located in Wisconsin about benefits that may be available to them under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act administered by the department's Division of Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation. Survivors of qualified workers also may be entitled to benefits.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor is notifying former workers of 25 facilities located in Ohio about benefits that may be available to them under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act administered by the department's Division of Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation. Survivors of qualified workers also may be entitled to benefits.

DICKERSON, Md. – Neutron Products Inc. President Jackson A. Ransohoff and Treasurer James W. Jordan will restore $100,000 to the company’s employee savings plan, according to the terms of a consent judgment that resolves a U.S. Department of Labor lawsuit.

The suit alleged that the defendants, who are the plan’s trustees, violated the Employee Retirement Income Security Act by failing to collect and remit amounts owed to the plan by the company from January 1990 to September 2010.

Date of Action:  Oct. 7, 2011

Type of Action:  Consent order and judgment

Names of Defendant: James and Carrie Jendusa, individually and as a fiduciaries to the Jendusa Engineering Associates Inc. 401(k) Plan

Allegations: The Jendusas, in their capacity as fiduciaries to the Jendusa Engineering Associates, Inc. 401(k) Plan, failed to ensure that $10,441.53 in participant contributions for the period of Jan. 1, 2007, through Feb. 15, 2008, were forwarded to the plan.

PITTSBURGH — The U.S. Department of Labor has filed a lawsuit against Sterling Printing and its president, John Louis Roberts, as well as Mara Scanlon Roberts, chief executive officer of M.R. Graphics LLC, for violating the Employee Retirement Income Security Act by failing to remit worker contributions to a 401(k) plan serving the employees of both Pittsburgh companies.

Date of Action:  Oct. 3, 2011

Name(s) of Defendant(s):  BHMA LLC