On June 27, 2017, OSHA decided to temporarily exempt construction companies and shipyards from a recently adopted rule covering exposure to the substance beryllium. Beryllium is a naturally occurring, lightweight metal that is commonly used to make a wide range of products, from airplane parts to computer components and dental…
On April 30, OSHA issued two new citations against Hultgren Construction. The company was renovating the former Copper Lounge building in Sioux Falls, SD when it collapsed on December 2. The collapse of the historic building killed a construction worker and trapped an apartment resident under the wreckage for hours.…
The fines stem from a trench accident that killed two workers on October 21, 2016 in Boston, MA. Atlantic Drain Service Co. employees Robert Higgins and Kelvin Mattocks were killed while working in a 12-foot-deep trench that collapsed and broke a fire hydrant supply line. The trench then filled with…
Falls at construction sites continue to be the leading cause of death for construction workers. Around 37% of all construction worker deaths are from falls. OSHA’s campaign is striving to raise awareness among workers and employers nationwide about the dangers of falls from heights on ladders, scaffolds and roofs. On…
On March 23, the United States Senate by a vote of 50-48 adopted H.J. Res 83. This vote overturns OSHA’s rule “Clarification of Employer’s Continuing Obligation to Make and Maintain Accurate Records of Each Recordable Injury and Illness,” informally known as the “Volks” rule (named for a case involving Volks…
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited a Plymouth Meeting contractor for failure to provide workers with safe scaffolding access and protection while working onsite in Philadelphia. Real Contractors LLC received four repeat and two serious violations for this dangerous oversight. Workers potentially could have fallen…
The Children’s Home of Reading, a facility for children and youth in crisis, faced citations a few months ago from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Employees have faced a minimum of 10 cases of workplace violence, including kicks in the face, head and neck by residents. Employees were not provided…
At the end of last month, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited a manufacturer based in St. Mary’s, Pennsylvania with “one willful and five serious violations.” P/M National Inc. has been found guilty by OSHA after inspection for lacking machine guarding, which prevents workers from…
Employee exposure to and lack of protection from highly flammable and potentially fatal chemicals has caused the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration to cite and fine a Connecticut chemical manufacturer. Phoenix Products Co. violated 15 requirements of workplace safety regarding chemicals and will be charged with…
A Massachusetts roofing contractor is facing major fines for yet again placing its employees in potential life-threatening working environments. The guilty party, A S General Construction Inc., has had repeated offenses of failing to provide their workers with both the fall protection and proper safety training that the U.S. Department…