OSHA News, Document Release: Methods to help prevent injuries, deaths among residential construction workers.

OSHA News, Document Release: Methods to help prevent injuries, deaths among residential construction workers.
April 08, 2011

Source: http://www.osha.gov/

WASHINGTON – The Occupational Safety and Health Administration today issued guidance on Fall Protection in Residential Construction* to help employers prevent fall-related injuries and deaths among residential construction workers. Data shows that falls are the leading cause of death for workers involved in residential construction.

OSHA issued the Compliance Guidance for Residential Construction in December 2010 to require that residential construction employers provide workers with fall protection according to OSHA's Fall Protection in Construction standard. This new document demonstrates work methods employers may use to comply with the standard's requirements.

Directed primarily to those working on new construction, the document describes safety methods employers can implement during stages of construction. Methods for preventing fall-related injuries and deaths include using anchors for personal fall arrest systems and fall restraints, safety net systems, guardrails, ladders, and scaffolds for activities such as installing roof sheathing, weatherproofing a roof, and installing walls and subfloors, among others.

"Fatalities from falls are the number one cause of workplace deaths in construction," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Dr. David Michaels. "We cannot tolerate workers getting killed in residential construction when effective means are readily available to prevent those deaths."

OSHA's Residential Fall Protection Web page includes a fact sheet, and questions and answers about requirements for protecting workers from fall hazards. Additionally, the Safety and Health Topics Web page on Fall Protection – Construction provides a list of references to help employers identify fall hazards and possible solutions for eliminating such hazards. OSHA is continuing to develop additional resources to help employers protect residential workers' safety and health.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to assure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov/.

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Trelleborg Sealing Solutions In Broomfield, CO., Recognized By OSHA For Excellence In Workplace Safety And Health

March 16, 2011

Broomfield, CO - The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has recognized the employees and management of Trelleborg Sealing Solutions for excellence in the company's employee safety and health program. Trelleborg's Broomfield facility has been designated as a 'star' site in OSHA's Voluntary Protection Programs.
"Trelleborg is an example of what can be accomplished in a workplace when employees and managers work together to proactively eliminate hazards,"said Greg Baxter, OSHA's regional administrator in Denver. "Their commitment to excellence is commendable, and we are glad to have worksites of this quality in our region."
Trelleborg manufactures sealing and bearing systems for the automotive and aerospace industries. David Nelson, OSHA's assistant regional administrator, presented a VPP flag and plaque to the Trelleborg team.
The Voluntary Protection Programs recognize private and federal worksites with effective safety and health management systems that have maintained injury and illness rates below national Bureau of Labor Statistics averages. Management, labor and OSHA work cooperatively and proactively to prevent fatalities, injuries and illnesses through a system focused on hazard prevention and control, worksite analysis and training. Union support is required for applicant worksites where employees are represented by a bargaining unit. Participating worksites are exempt from OSHA programmed inspections while they maintain their VPP status. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov/dcsp/vpp/index.html.
For additional information on the VPP, contact Brad Baptiste, OSHA's regional VPP manager in Denver, at 720-264-6555

Source: OSHA


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OSHA issues citations, proposes $67,765 in fines for Ifco Systems facility in Henderson, CO

OSHA issues citations, proposes $67,765 in fines for Ifco Systems facility in Henderson, CO

March 3, 2011

DENVER — Federal workplace safety regulators have proposed $67,765 in fines for an Ifco Systems pallet recycling facility in Henderson.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration says the proposed fines include $50,000 for allegedly failing to provide adequate machine guarding on a band saw. OSHA says Ifco Systems facilities have received citations for that before in other states. OSHA Denver area director Herb Gibson says proper machine guarding helps prevent amputation injuries.
OSHA also issued five serious citations to the Henderson facility for other alleged violations including a lack of machine guarding on a table saw and exposure of employees to excessive noise.
The company didn't immediately return an e-mail Thursday asking whether it planned to contest the citations.


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Scaffolding Collapse Leads to Florida Contractor's $69,168 Fine

Scaffolding Collapse Leads to Florida Contractor's $69,168 Fine

In October 2010, two employees were painting the inside of a water tank when a suspended scaffold device anchored on the outer surface of a roof hole fell through the hole, causing one side of the scaffold to collapse.

February 21, 2011

OSHA has cited M Brothers Paintings Inc. of St. Augustine, Fla., with 15 safety violations following a scaffolding collapse at a Hollywood, Fla., worksite that seriously injured two workers. Penalties total $69,168.
In October 2010, two employees were painting the inside of a water tank when a suspended scaffold device anchored on the outer surface of a roof hole fell through the hole, causing one side of the scaffold to collapse. The two workers fell approximately 25 feet.
"If proper safety precautions had been taken, these injuries could have been prevented," said Darlene Fossum, OSHA's area director in Fort Lauderdale. "It is the employer's responsibility to ensure all aspects of OSHA's standards are followed."
Fourteen serious safety violations were cited with a penalty of $59,928 for failure to inspect the scaffold and its components for defects; ensure the suspension scaffold device could rest on surfaces capable of supporting at least four times the load; protect workers with adequate fall protection; train workers to recognize the hazards associated with the use of shackles as anchor devices on supporting surfaces; and provide a safety and health program that includes hazard prevention and control. A serious citation is issued when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.
A repeat citation with a penalty of $9,240 was issued for failing to equip the load end of the wire suspension rope with thimbles. The thimbles can prevent the wire from pitching and abrading while preventing the load from coming into direct contact with the wire. OSHA cited the company in September 2010 for failing to meet the agency's safety standard for scaffolding. A repeat citation is issued when an employer previously has been cited for the same or a similar violation of a standard, regulation, rule or order at any other facility in federal enforcement states within the last five years.


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Chemical tanks explode at design factory in Maldon

Chemical tanks explode at design factory in Maldon

February 10, 2011

Fire crews were faced with very explosive materials inside the factory
Two chemical tanks have exploded during a blaze at a design manufacturing plant in Essex.

Six fire crews were called to the Sil-Die factory in Fullbridge, Maldon, at 1245 GMT.

Two phosphorus tanks have exploded and crews have been hampered by a number of potentially explosive chemicals.

The fire service said the two-storey property has been "totally destroyed" and a heavy plume of smoke can be seen over the town.

'Huge bang'
An Essex Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: "First one tank exploded and then that made the second tank explode.

"There was a huge bang and the explosion created a bright white flash with pieces of phosphorus flying out everywhere.

"Crews are battling hard at this incident but the chemicals involved are creating problems. Parts of the building have already collapsed.

"A specialist chemical officer has been ordered to the scene as the basement is thought to contain magnesium developer and acetone fixer."

Roads in the area have been closed. An emergency refuge has been set up by the local authority to provide shelter for those unable to return to their homes.

'Roof collapsed'
At 1645 GMT Assistant Divisional Officer Nigel Dilley said the fire was coming under control but that crews expected to remain on the scene for some time.

He said: "The factory itself has been totally destroyed - the roof has collapsed, some of the walls are still standing but there was nothing crews could do to save it.

"The early call from the owner and the information he gave regarding the chemicals and their potential reaction to first crews at the scene averted a much more serious incident.

"We have a fire investigation officer involved in the incident although at this stage we are not treating it as deliberate."

Sil-die is a foiling and embossing manufacturer which produces artwork and design services.


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2 ironworkers killed in NYC construction site fall

2 ironworkers killed in NYC construction site fall

NEW YORK — Two mid-Hudson Valley ironworkers died after they fell 65 feet from a fifth floor through an open elevator shaft at a church construction site where they were installing steel, authorities said.

Brett McEnroe, 49, of Dover Plains, and Roy Powell, 51, of New Paltz, were working on a planned expansion of the Redeemer Presbyterian Church on Manhattan's Upper West Side Tuesday morning as members of a four-person crew, authorities said.

McEnroe, a married father of two, died at Roosevelt Hospital. Powell, who was married and had a son, died at St. Luke's Hospital, according to a report in the New York Daily News.

Powell was a member of Ironworkers Local 40 in Manhattan; McEnroe was a member of Local 417 in Newburgh, according to Bob Walsh, business manager for Local 40.

The city's buildings commissioner, Robert LiMandri, said it appeared the workers did not have proper fall protection, including harnesses, safety netting or a support platform. The church expansion began in 2009, with no mishaps reported until now.

He called the deaths "a tragic reminder" of the need to observe safety measures in the construction industry, and said the city would be investigating why the men were not equipped properly.

The commissioner issued a stop-work order for the building on West 83rd Street.

The workers were pronounced dead at hospitals after a 911 call at about 10:30 a.m.

Redeemer Presbyterian Church did not immediately respond to an Associated Press request for comment.

Four construction workers fell to their deaths in New York City last year.


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Food Safety Violations found at Nine Egg Farms

Food Safety Violations found at Nine Egg Farms

February 1, 2011

Government inspectors have found food safety violations at egg farms beyond the Iowa operations linked to last summer's salmonella outbreak.

The Food and Drug Administration has completed inspections of 35 farms targeted because they were associated with previous outbreaks or had a history of poor compliance, reports Des Moines Register. Most of the problems cited by the inspectors involved inadequate record-keeping, the agency reported yesterday, 1 February.

Under egg safety regulations that took effect last year, farms are required to document compliance on a variety of issues, including rodent monitoring and biosecurity measures.

Inspectors found 76 positive samples for salmonella around barns owned by one producer.

Inspectors found one hen-house with inadequate control of rodents, which can transmit salmonella bacteria to the birds. One company did not store its eggs at 45 degrees or below.

Nine companies own the farms, which are located in Maine, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Utah and Washington. The company names were not disclosed.

Twelve of the farms were advised of problems that needed to be fixed. No action was needed for 11 others. Evaluations of the rest were still pending.

Des Moines Register reports that last year's outbreak led to the recall of 550 million eggs produced by Wright County Egg of Galt and New Hampton-based Hillandale Farms of Iowa. Both companies were forced in August to divert their eggs to be pasteurized into food products while the FDA investigated the operations and the farms corrected problems.

Hillandale, which had used Wright County Egg's hens and feed, was allowed to resume the sale of fresh eggs in October. Wright County Egg has been allowed to resume some sales of fresh eggs but only from two barns on one of the company's six farms.


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3 dead, 5 missing after massive Pa. gas blast

Explosion set fire to several houses and sent flames hundreds of feet into the air

February 10, 2011

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Three dead and five were missing after a massive natural gas explosion demolished and set fire to homes and sent flames hundreds of feet into the air in eastern Pennsylvania.

Allentown fire Chief Robert Scheirer said the victim lived in a two-story row house that exploded Wednesday night. An elderly couple in their 70s lived in the home, but Scheirer says the condition of the body prevented positive identification.

Five other people were still unaccounted for after the blast that leveled two houses. The cause of the explosion is unclear.

The fire that burned for hours has been put out, and 500 to 600 residents who were evacuated are returning to their homes.

Allentown fire Chief Robert Scheirer said early Thursday that the fire consumed an entire row of homes. He predicted eight will be lost and another 16 damaged.

Missing couple The explosion happened at 10:45 p.m. in the home of Beatrice Hall, 74, and husband William, 79, the Allentown Morning Call newspaper reported on its website. The Halls were among the missing, Police Chief Roger MacClean said.

Images from NBC station WCAU showed flames reaching hundreds of the feet into the air from the scene of the blast. The explosion was so powerful it was felt nine miles away in Bethlehem, Pa.

The blaze was put out early Thursday, delayed by the difficulty of digging through packed layers of snow and ice to a ruptured underground gas line that was feeding the flames, Scheirer said.

Residents were allowed to return home early Thursday. They had been taken to a Jewish community center and an agricultural hall at the city's fairgrounds while emergency crews worked overnight.

The blast also downed dozens of high-power electrical lines, according to radio reports monitored by the Morning Calland msnbc.com. PPL Electric Utilities shut down power in the area.

'Under attack'
The blast was so powerful that it sent a flat-screen computer monitor sailing into the back of Antonio Arroyo, whose house was on the opposite end of the row from the house that exploded.

"I thought we were under attack," he recalled from a shelter where some 250 people took refuge in the hours after the blast.

Arroyo and his wife, Jill, both 43, lost their home in the fire.

Antonio said he ran outside and saw that an entire house had been leveled, a fireball now raging in the spot where it once stood.

"What I saw, I couldn't believe," said Arroyo, a community volunteer.

He and his wife, a nurse, fled their home with only the clothes on their back. They planned to return at daylight to see what they could salvage. Jill Arroyo broke down sobbing when she recalled her son's athletic memorabilia — likely lost in the blaze — including DVDs of his high school football games.

"The DVDs are gone. All his trophies are gone. All gone," she sobbed as her husband comforted her.

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Texas Chemical Plant Explosion - Enterprise Products

Texas Chemical Plant Explosion - Enterprise Products
Breaking News

February 8, 2011

Fire follows explosion; 3 workers unaccounted for...

MONT BELVIEU, Texas — An explosion and fire ripped through a Houston-area chemical plant, leaving thee people unaccounted for Tuesday afternoon, officials said.
Explosions were heard about 12:15 p.m. at Enterprise Products on Sun Oil Road in Mont Belvieu, about 35 miles east of Houston, NBC station KPRC reported.
Bright orange flames consumed a large part of the plant that produces octane-boosting gasoline additives. Thick black smoke filled the air as TV images showed flame-engulfed vehicles parked adjacent to the plant.
Mont Belvieu Mayor Nick Dixon told msnbc cable TV that flames could be seen for 7 miles.
Three people were unaccounted for at the plant, where 600 to 700 work, Dixon said.
The flames were not near homes, he said.
No evacuations or shelters were ordered, KPRC said.
Nearby streets were closed.

Houston-based Enterprise is one of the country's largest shippers and processors of natural gas in, including 49,100 miles of onshore and offshore pipelines.

Developing story, details to follow..

UPDATE 02/08/11

Exxon Mobil Corp's (XOM.N) Baytown, Texas, petrochemical complex has sustained only minimal impact from Tuesday's fire at the nearby Enterprise Products Partners (EPD.N) Mont Belvieu, Texas, natural gas liquids and petrochemical complex, a spokesman said.

"Our Baytown Complex - which includes both refinery and the various chemical facilities - is operational and all units are running with minimal impacts," said Exxon spokesman Kevin Allexon. "We continue to closely monitor and assess the situation."

Exxon's Baytown refinery is the largest in the United States at 560,640 barrels per day (bpd). Adjoining the refinery are a chemical plant and an olefins plant.

The Enterprise Products Mont Belvieu complex includes plants for processing natural gas liquids into chemicals, some which increase octane in gasoline.

A massive fire broke out early on Tuesday afternoon at a natural gas liquids storage area of the complex. Main production facilities were not affected by the blast, an Enterprise spokesman said on Tuesday.

One worker remained unaccounted for following the fire. There were no injuries reported due to the blast and ensuing fire, which was visible in Houston, 35 miles (56 min) west.

Rick Rainey, public relations director for Enterprise Products, said there are normally eight to 10 workers in the facility located 35 miles east of Houston. All the workers got out safely, he said.

"As of right now our main concern is to make sure that we get this thing contained," Rainey said.
Hours after the explosion, the plant, which processes and stores liquids that are separated from natural gas, continues to burn. Nothing that is burning is toxic, Rainey said.
Pipelines to the plant were shut down so no new flows come into the facility. But the liquids in the pipe are continuing to burn.

Rainey said the pipelines weren’t near capacity so the fire won’t burn as long as it might have at full capacity.

There are no plans to try to extinguish the fire. Instead, the plan is to focus on letting it burn and cooling the area around it.

One nearby school has been evacuated. The main area of the plant where most of the equipment was located has not been affected by the explosion and blaze.

The facility in Chambers County is a natural gas fractionation facility, where natural gas liquids are separated into different components before being put into storage or injected into pipelines. It has a capacity of about 305,000 barrels of natural gas liquids per day. Recently, it has become an important hub to oil and gas producers in South Texas’ Eagle Ford shale formation, where large quantities of natural gas liquids are being extracted and processed for usage by Gulf Coast petrochemical plants and other customers.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality said the plant had recorded no major permit violations over the past five years.

A preliminary search of Occupational Safety and Health Administration data does not find any incidents reported on this Enterprise facility. In June 2005 a worker was killed at an Enterprise facility in Mirando City in South Texas near Nuevo Laredo when there was an unexpected release of pressurized flammable material from a production compressor.

Houston-based Enterprise is one of the country's largest shippers and processors of natural gas in, including 49,100 miles of onshore and offshore pipelines.

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OSHA cites south Georgia manufacturer with 46 serious safety and health violations

OSHA cites south Georgia manufacturer with 46 serious safety and health violations

Feb. 8, 2011

US Department of Labor's OSHA cites south Georgia
manufacturer with 46 serious safety and health violations
US Erosion Control Products exposed workers to combustible dust hazards

SAVANNAH, Ga. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Protech Environmental South Inc., doing business as U.S. Erosion Control Products Inc., following an inspection that uncovered 46 alleged safety and health hazards including worker exposure to heavy accumulations of combustible dust. Proposed penalties total $55,250.

After receiving a complaint, OSHA began an inspection in August 2010 at the company's site in Willacoochee, Ga. Serious citations were issued for violations that included exposing workers to explosion hazards resulting from inadequate dust control, exposing workers to dust without respiratory protection, failing to clean up thick dust accumulations, using unapproved electrical equipment and forklifts in locations that may include flammable or combustible materials, absence of a fire extinguisher in a straw storage area and fire extinguishers missing from their mounts.

Additional serious citations included exposing workers to fall hazards, electrical hazards, obstructed exit routes, hazards related to the use of liquid propane gas, amputation hazards from a lack of machine guards, hazards from damaged forklifts, and hazards related to lack of eye protection and lack of a hearing conservation program. OSHA issues a serious citation when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.

"Combustible dust is a major safety and health hazard, and employers must recognize and correct hazards that expose their employees to death or serious physical harm," said Robert Vazzi, OSHA's area director in Savannah.

OSHA initiated its Combustible Dust National Emphasis Program on Oct. 18, 2007, to inspect facilities that generate or handle combustible dust that poses a deflagration/explosion or other fire hazard. Following a massive sugar dust explosion at Imperial Sugar's Port Wentworth, Ga., facility on Feb. 7, 2008, that killed 14 workers and injured many more, OSHA revised the combustible dust program to include more inspections and to focus on industries with frequent and high consequence dust incidents. More information on combustible dust is available at http://www.osha.gov/dsg/combustibledust/index.html.

After the inspection, the company moved to Pearson, Ga., where it continues to produce erosion control products using natural materials such as straw.

The company has 15 business days from receipt of the citations and proposed penalties to comply, meet with the OSHA area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. The site was inspected by OSHA's area office in Savannah; telephone 912-652-4393. To report workplace incidents, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, call the agency's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742).

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to assure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov/.

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OSHA fines Chicago-area contractor $60,600

OSHA fines Chicago-area contractor $60,600

Feb. 8, 2011

US Department of Labor's OSHA fines Chicago-area contractor $60,600
for failing to provide trench cave-in protection for workers

BENSENVILLE, Ill. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued Doherty, Giannini & Rietz Construction Inc., an underground contractor located in Bensenville, one willful and one repeat safety citation for failing to protect workers from cave-ins during trenching operations at a Chicago, Ill., jobsite. The company faces proposed penalties of $60,600.

"Cave-ins are a leading cause of worker fatalities during excavations," said Gary Anderson, OSHA's area director in Calumet City, Ill. "This is the fourth time in recent months that OSHA has issued citations to this contractor related to the cave-in protection standard. Workers' safety should be paramount on a jobsite, and OSHA is committed to protecting workers, especially when employers fail to do so."

The willful citation alleges that a Doherty, Giannini & Rietz Construction employee was working in a trench at a depth greater than 6 feet without cave-in protection during a December 2010 inspection. A trench box was present on the site but not installed in the trench. The inspection was conducted under an OSHA national emphasis program on trenching and excavation. A willful violation exists when an employer has demonstrated either an intentional disregard for the requirements of the law or plain indifference to employee safety and health.

The company was issued the repeat citation for failing to establish a safe work zone as regulated by the U.S. Department of Transportation's manual on uniform traffic control devices. A repeat citation is issued when an employer previously has been cited for the same or a similar violation of a standard, regulation, rule or order at any other facility in federal enforcement states within the last five years.

The company has been inspected by OSHA 27 times since 1988, resulting in 16 prior citations for lack of cave-in protection at various worksites. Four of those violations have been issued since June 2010, including the citation from the December inspection.

OSHA standards mandate that all excavations 5 feet or deeper be protected against collapse. Detailed information on trenching and excavation hazards, adopted by OSHA in the 1980s, is available on the agency's website at http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/trenchingexcavation/index.html.

Doherty, Giannini & Rietz Construction has 15 business days from receipt of the citations to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA's area director, or contest the citations and penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

Employers and employees with questions regarding workplace safety and health standards can call OSHA's Calumet City Area Office at 708-891-3800. To report workplace incidents, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, call the agency's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742).

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to assure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov/.

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OSHA cites Kearny, NJ, pool chemical manufacturer for workplace hazards, proposes more than $70,000 in fines

OSHA cites Kearny, NJ, pool chemical manufacturer for workplace hazards, proposes more than $70,000 in fines

Feb. 7, 2011

US Department of Labor's OSHA cites Kearny, NJ, pool chemical
manufacturer for workplace hazards, proposes more than $70,000 in fines

KEARNY, N.J. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Kearny-based Alden Leeds Inc. for exposing employees to safety hazards at worksites located in Kearny and Hackensack, N.J. Proposed penalties total $70,400.

"Employers who fail to follow through on their responsibility to provide safe workplaces will be held legally accountable," said Kris Hoffman, director of OSHA's Parsippany, N.J., area office. "It is vital that Alden Leeds remove these hazards immediately."

OSHA initiated an inspection in response to a complaint, citing Alden Leeds for 23 serious violations with penalties of $66,550 and five other-than-serious violations with penalties of $3,850.

The serious citations are for failing to ensure workers being lifted by a forklift truck had an approved manlift cage; provide sufficient guardrails on work platforms; keep exits clear and mark exit doors; provide stable material storage; evaluate forklift operators every three years; conduct a preventative maintenance program for 2-ton cranes; ensure compressed air used for cleaning did not exceed 30 pounds per square inch; and ensure workers did not use damaged electrical equipment. OSHA issues a serious citation when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.

The other-than-serious violations pertain to recordkeeping. An other-than-serious violation has a direct relationship to job safety and health, but probably would not cause death or serious physical harm.

Alden Leeds Inc. has 15 business days from receipt of its citations to comply, meet with the OSHA area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. The inspection was conducted by OSHA's Parsippany Area Office, which can be reached at 973-263-1003. To report workplace incidents, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, call the agency's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742).

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to assure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov/.

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OSHA secures decision affirming willful and serious trenching violations, $91,200 in fines against Boston contractor

OSHA secures decision affirming willful and serious trenching violations, $91,200 in fines against Boston contractor

Feb. 7, 2011

US Labor Department secures decision affirming willful and serious
trenching violations, $91,200 in fines against Boston contractor

BOSTON – The U.S. Department of Labor has won a decision from an administrative law judge upholding eight citations and $91,200 in fines issued to a Boston contractor for excavation and other construction safety hazards. The department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited Shawn Telsi, doing business as Life Time Homes, Green Pines and/or Telsi Builders, following an August 2009 inspection of a construction site at 394 Dedham St. in Newton, Mass.

During that inspection, OSHA found employees working without cave-in protection in an excavation up to 14 feet deep. The excavation lacked a safe means of exit and had piles of soil stored at its edge. Employees also risked impalement upon unguarded steel rebar, falls into uncovered 7-foot-deep holes and injuries from lack of head protection.

OSHA cited Telsi in February 2010, and the company contested its citations and fines to the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission the following month. A hearing was held in Boston on Sept. 28, 2010, before Administrative Law Judge Covette Rooney. Rooney recently ruled, upholding the four willful and four serious citations, and the monetary penalties issued by OSHA.

"Serious, life-threatening hazards remained uncorrected even after they were brought to this employer's attention," said Marthe Kent, OSHA's New England regional administrator. "In one instance, had the unprotected 14-foot-high excavation wall collapsed, it would have engulfed workers who were pouring concrete formwork and crushed them beneath tons of concrete, soil and debris."

"Employers must understand that they cannot disregard standards meant to protect the life and safety of their employees without facing consequences," said Michael Felsen, the Labor Department's regional solicitor for New England. "This decision not only affirms OSHA's findings, it also shows that the Department of Labor will not hesitate to pursue appropriate legal action on behalf of America's workers."

Telsi has 20 days from the date the administrative law judge's decision is docketed with the review commission to appeal. The safety inspection was conducted by OSHA's Andover Area Office in Massachusetts. The case was litigated for OSHA by senior trial attorney Paul Katz of the department's Boston Regional Solicitor's Office.

The Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission is an independent federal agency created to decide contests of citations or penalties resulting from workplace inspections conducted by OSHA. An employer who is cited by OSHA for an alleged workplace health or safety violation can contest the OSHA citation and have the case heard by a commission administrative law judge, who ultimately issues a decision. The judge's decision can then be appealed to the commission, whose members are presidential appointees.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to assure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov/index.html.

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OSHA cites North Branford, Conn., contractor $53,000 in Proposed Fines

OSHA cites North Branford, Conn., contractor $53,000 in Proposed Fines

Feb. 7, 2011

US Labor Department's OSHA cites North Branford, Conn., contractor
for failing to provide cave-in protection at Stratford, Conn., jobsite
Cherry Hill Construction faces more than $53,000 in proposed fines

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Cherry Hill Construction Co. Inc. for alleged repeat and serious violations of workplace safety standards following an OSHA inspection of a worksite in front of 370 Bruce Ave. in Stratford, where the company was installing a catch basin cover. The North Branford contractor faces a total of $53,460 in proposed fines.

OSHA's inspection found a Cherry Hill Construction employee working in an excavation deeper than 5 feet that lacked proper protection against a collapse of its sidewalls as well as a ladder or other safe means of exit. The worker also was exposed to being struck by the bucket of an excavator that was placing gravel in the excavation.

"The unprotected walls of an excavation can collapse in seconds, stunning and crushing workers beneath tons of soil and debris before they have a chance to react or escape," said Robert Kowalski, OSHA's area director in Bridgeport. "Employers must never allow an employee to face such a dangerous situation. Before a worker enters, each excavation must be effectively protected."

OSHA cited the company in 2008 and 2009 for excavation hazards at worksites in North Branford and Orange, Conn., respectively, and in 2008 for lacking safe exit access from an excavation at a North Branford worksite. As a result of these recurring conditions, the employer has been issued two repeat citations with $48,510 in proposed fines for the latest hazards. A repeat citation is issued when an employer previously has been cited for the same or a similar violation of a standard, regulation, rule or order at any other facility in federal enforcement states within the last five years.

Cherry Hill Construction Co. Inc. also has been issued one serious citation with a $4,950 fine for failing to prohibit an employee from working under and within the swing radius of the excavator bucket. OSHA issues a serious citation when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.

OSHA standards require that all trenches and excavations 5 feet or deeper be protected against collapse. Detailed information on hazards and safeguards related to trenching and excavation is available online at http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/trenchingexcavation/index.html.

Cherry Hill Construction Co. Inc. has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to comply, meet with the OSHA area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. This inspection was conducted by OSHA's Bridgeport Area Office; telephone 203-579-5581. To report workplace incidents, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, call the agency's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742).

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to ensure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov/.

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OSHA Fines Company $54,000 for Hazards at Tewksbury Site

 

Inspector drove past job site on his way to work and happened to see violations.

February 5, 2011

 

(Editor's note: The following information was submitted by The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration.)

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Georgoulis Construction Inc. for alleged willful and serious violations of safety standards for fall hazards at a Tewksbury worksite. The Dracut roofing contractor faces a total of $53,900 in proposed fines.

The citations and penalties stem from an OSHA inspection opened Nov. 10, 2010. An OSHA inspector en route to his office observed employees exposed to apparent fall hazards while driving by 279 Chandler St.  An inspection was opened on the spot. OSHA found Georgoulis employees exposed to falls while working atop a roof greater than 6 feet without any fall protection. They were exposed to an additional fall hazard while accessing the roof by using a ladder that did not extend at least 3 feet above the landing surface for required stability.

“The size of this penalty reflects the gravity of the hazard and the employer’s knowledge of its existence,” said Jeffery A. Erskine, OSHA’s area director for Middlesex and Essex counties. “A fall can occur in seconds but the resulting injuries can be permanent or end a life. There’s no reason for failing to provide this essential and legally required safeguard for workers.”

As a result of its inspection, OSHA has issued Georgoulis Construction one willful citation with a $49,000 fine for the lack of fall protection and one serious citation with a fine of $4,900 for the ladder hazard. A willful violation exists when an employer has demonstrated either an intentional disregard for the requirements of the law or plain indifference to employee safety and health. OSHA issues a serious citation when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.

Detailed information for workers and employers on construction fall hazards and safeguards is available online at http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/fallprotection/construction.html.

Georgoulis Construction Inc. has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to comply, meet with the OSHA area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. This latest inspection was conducted by OSHA’s Andover Area Office; telephone 978- 837-4460. To report workplace incidents, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, call the agency’s toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742).

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to assure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov/.   

 

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OSHA Fines New York Manufacturer $220K

February 3, 2011

OSHA has fined an Upstate New York manufacturer $2200,000 for a range of workplace safety violations.
Syracuse-based Oberdorfer — which manufactures aluminum castings —had 28 alleged violations of workplace health and safety standards, including failing to correct some hazards cited during a previous OSHA inspection, the federal agency said.
OSHA previously cited the company for a variety of violations involving employee overexposure to airborne concentrations of silica, which has been classified as a carcinogen. This newest inspection found the company failed to implement engineering controls to reduce workers' exposure to silica. In addition, the inspection found that an employee who was overexposed to silica lacked a respirator.
"This company was given the time and opportunity to take effective corrective action, yet our latest inspections identified silica-related hazards that either went uncorrected or were allowed to recur. This is unacceptable," said Christopher Adams, OSHA's area director in Syracuse. "The sizable fines levied here reflect the severity and recurring nature of these conditions. They must be corrected - once and for all - to help ensure the health and safety of the workers at this plant."
As a result of its latest inspections, OSHA issued the company two failure-to-abate notices carrying $75,000 in fines for the uncorrected conditions and one willful citation with a $70,000 fine for the lack of respiratory protection. A failure-to-abate notice is issued, and additional fines proposed, when an employer fails to correct previously cited hazards. A willful violation exists when an employer has demonstrated either an intentional disregard for the requirements of the law or plain indifference to employee safety and health.
The company also was issued 21 serious citations with $72,000 in fines for fall, electrical and machine guarding hazards; a locked exit door; lack of a permit-required confined space program and training; failure to develop specific lockout/tagout procedures to prevent the unintended start up of machinery; lack of an eyewash station; and failing to provide training on silica. Finally, the company was issued four other-than-serious citations with $3,000 in fines for inadequate recording of workplace injuries and illnesses.
The company has 15 days to respond to fines and allegations.

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Illinois Roofing Firm Fined $102,000 for Fall Protection Hazards

Illinois Roofing Firm Fined $102,000 for Fall Protection Hazards

The company's willful and repeat safety violations put McEntire's Roofing in OSHA's Severe Violator Enforcement Program.

• Feb 02, 2011

OSHA has issued McEntire's Roofing Inc. of Lincoln, Ill., six citations for failing to provide fall protection for roofers working on residential projects. The company faces penalties totaling $102,000.
The citations are the result of two OSHA investigations, conducted under the agency's Local Emphasis Program on Fall Hazards, which took place in July and September 2010 at jobsites in Bloomington and Lincoln, Ill. Two willful citations carrying $56,000 in penalties were issued after inspectors observed roofers being allowed to operate without fall protection at two-story residential projects. A willful violation exists when an employer has demonstrated either an intentional disregard for the requirements of the law or plain indifference to employee safety and health.
"Falls are a leading cause of injury and death in the workplace," said Thomas Bielema, OSHA's area director in Peoria, Ill. "McEntire's Roofing repeatedly has been cited for not providing adequate fall protection and that is unacceptable. OSHA is committed to ensuring employers abide by the law, which requires commonsense safety practices."
OSHA issued McEntire's Roofing two repeat citations with proposed fines of $42,000 for allegedly not having a grasping handle and/or a ladder extended 3 feet or more above the roofline for workers to access in order to prevent falls. A repeat citation is issued when an employer previously has been cited for the same or a similar violation of a standard, regulation, rule or order at any other facility in federal enforcement states within the last five years.
Two serious citations were issued to the company alleging that a damaged ladder was used to access an upper roof area and for failing to have a ladder inspected by a competent person. Those violations carry total penalties of $4,000. A serious citation is issued when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.
OSHA standards require that an effective form of fall protection, such as guardrails, safety nets, or personal fall arrest systems, be in use when workers perform residential construction activities 6 feet or more above the next lower level. Detailed information on fall protection hazards and safeguards is available online at http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/fallprotection/index.html.
The company's willful and repeat safety violations put McEntire's Roofing in OSHA's Severe Violator Enforcement Program, which focuses on employers with a history of safety violations that endanger workers by demonstrating indifference to their responsibilities under the law. This enforcement tool includes mandatory OSHA follow-up inspections and inspections of other worksites of the same employer where similar hazards and deficiencies may be present. For more information on SVEP, visit http://www.osha.gov/dep/svep-directive.pdf*.
Prior to the two inspections detailed above, McEntire's Roofing had been inspected by OSHA six times since 2005, resulting in 15 prior citations.


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OSHA cites roofing company following fatality at El Paso, Texas, worksite

OSHA cites roofing company following fatality at El Paso, Texas, worksite
OSHA Press Release, January 25, 2011

US Department of Labor's OSHA cites roofing company
following fatality at El Paso, Texas, worksite
Third El Paso roofing incident cited by OSHA within a year

EL PASO, Texas – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Spray Polyurethane Foam with five alleged serious and one other-than-serious violation for failing to provide fall protection resulting from an investigation into a fatality at the company's worksite in El Paso.

OSHA's El Paso Area Office initiated the investigation on Aug. 25, 2010, following a report that an employee fell almost 30 feet through the roof and died at the company's worksite at 9600 Plaza Circle. The investigation found that the roof of the facility did not have the required strength and structural integrity for repair work to be performed.

The serious violations include failing to determine if the roof had sufficient structural integrity for making roof repairs, provide employees with fall protection systems and/or personal fall arrest systems, and provide training for employees exposed to possible fall hazards. A serious violation is one in which there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.

An other-than-serious violation was issued for failing to contact OSHA within eight hours to report the fatality. An other-than-serious violation has a direct relationship to job safety and health, but probably would not cause death or serious physical harm.

Proposed penalties for the serious and other-than-serious violations total $8,700.

In October 2010, an employee of another company in El Paso, Empire Roofing, fell through a skylight while making roof repairs. In May 2010, a worker employed by Parsons Roofing in El Paso fell through a roof while repairing roof decking that was rotted and had not been inspected for strength and structural integrity. In both incidents, employees sustained severe injuries while performing roofing repair work.

"Falls are one of the most common and well-known hazards at a worksite, and can injure or kill a worker in a matter of seconds," said Jack Rector, OSHA's area director in El Paso. "OSHA is dedicated to providing a safe and healthful workplace. All three incidents could have been avoided had the employees been provided with fall protection and training."

Detailed information about fall hazards and safeguards is available on OSHA's website at http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/fallprotection/construction.html.

Spray Polyurethane Foam has 15 business days from receipt of citations to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA's area director in El Paso or contest the citations and proposed penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. Employers and employees with questions about workplace safety and health standards can call OSHA's El Paso Area Office at 915-534-6151 or the agency's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742) to report workplace incidents, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to assure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov/.

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Robins Air Force Base Receives 2nd Set of OSHA Citations

Robins Air Force Base Receives 2nd Set of OSHA Citations

Tuesday, January 25 2011  by Dustin Wilson

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration handed out a second round of citations to Robins Air Force Base last week and employees are voicing their concerns about the work environment

In May of last year OSHA handed down citations to Robins Air Force Base, most of which dealt with high carcinogen levels in building 169 and 670. A new set of citations were issued last week and the reoccurring problem of cancer causing particles in the work area remains and employees are concerned not enough is being done to make sure their work environment is safe.
"You don't know what you're walking into and you don't know what you're walking out of because it's something you really don't see it's kind of like dust you know. You don't know that you're being exposed to anything and then sooner or later, you know there's been people that have got cancer that has worked in that building," said Ray Fisher, an Air Craft Sheet Metal Mechanic at RAFB.

Fisher works in building 169 and is one of around 200 people who work in the building. Many employees are concerned with repeated findings of high exposure levels of chromium, cadmium, and lead, all of which can cause cancer.
These contaminants come from old paint on air craft parts. When the parts are sanded down, dust particles are emitted into the air.
In OSHA's initial round of citations in May of last year, chromium (VI) was found in a number of areas in buildings 169 and 670: A wipe sample of the break room table, where employees eat in building 169 showed 7 micrograms of Chromium (VI) and 13.5 micrograms of chromic acid.
The local union president for base employees, Tom Scott, says the federal government isn’t holding itself accountable.

"They have plenty of resources they could have corrected it. Outside agencies, private sectors the same thing would have been fined about $400-thousand, $600-thousand dollars and the agency is immune from it, you can't fine one another and I don't know if that's why the delay is or not, but I think more or less than need to get these employees a safe environment to work in," said Scott.

Last November OSHA fined the Macon-based company, Aerospace/Defense Coatings of Georgia, more than $300-thousand for over exposure of chromium (VI). Just last week OSHA fined Lead Enterprises Inc. in Miami, Florida, more than $300-thousand for over exposure of lead. OSHA officials say they can't fine other federal agencies.
We spoke with base officials about the carcinogen levels and according to Deryl Israel, the executive director of Warner Robins Air Logistics Center, before OSHA cited the violations, base officials thought their work environment was safe.


"What came as I wouldn't say a surprise to us, but we thought we were doing well and OSHA came in and found some things and we've worked since then to understand OSHA's interpretation and adjust our processes to comply with that," said Israel.

Maybe the most staggering of the May citations was in room 117, where according to OSHA a machinist was exposed to more than 17-hundred micrograms of chromium (VI), approximately 342 times the limit established to prevent lung cancer.
Base officials have since shut down the room. But the contamination doesn’t stop there, the most recent OSHA citations said high levels of chromium (VI) and cadmium were found in buildings 59, 89, and 323; further evidence that high contaminant levels could be in other areas on the base.

“As long as I've been on base for 23 years they've been working on air craft parts and the air craft parts have always had that stromium chromate which has chromate (VI) in it," said Tom Scott.

OSHA's most recent citations noted that the base didn’t properly inform employees about exposure levels. Stating employees with skin and eye contact to chromium (VI) did not demonstrate knowledge of the health hazards associated with the contaminant.
"We were never briefed on it, well I wasn't when I come through the door. We knew that we had some hazardous chemicals that we were working with, but they were pretty well known throughout the industry. But as far as the contaminants or the dust and stuff like that, I was not familiar with them until this actually broke lose," said Ray Fisher.

According to the CDC, high exposure levels to chromium can cause a number of health problems including irritation of the nose, runny nose, asthma, and in severe cases lung cancer.



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OSHA fines elevators $1.3 million

Fines and penalties levied in connection with deaths of three employees

posted January 24, 2011

Annawan, Ill. —

Elevator companies in Mt. Carroll and Hillsdale have been fined more than $1.3 million by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in connection with the deaths of three employees in grain bin accidents last year.
Hillsdale Elevator Co. was fined a total of $729,000 as a result of the death of Raymond Nowland, 49, in an accident at the company’s Geneseo facility. That figure includes $15,000 in fines that resulted from an inspection of the company’s elevator in Annawan.
Haasbach LLC of Mt. Carroll was fined $555,000 following an OSHA investigation of the deaths of workers Wyatt Whitebread, 14, and Alex Pacas, 19, at the company’s elevator in Mt. Carroll. OSHA also levied civil money penalties of $68,125 against the company for “employing anyone less than 18. . .to perform hazardous jobs” prohibited by the Fair Labor Standards Act’s child labor standards, according to a news release issued Monday by OSHA.
The news release said Hillsdale Elevator Co. received 17 “willful citations” with penalties of $714,000. The citations allege eight instances of directing workers to enter bins, silos or tanks where a buildup of grain on the sides could fall and bury them; and nine instances of failing to shut down mechanical equipment that could endanger employees.
“A willful violation is one committed with intentional knowing or voluntary disregard  for the law’s requirements or with plain indifference to worker safety and health,” the news release said.
In addition, Hillsdale Elevator Co. was fined a total of $15,000 for five serious citations following an inspection of the company’s facility in Annawan. The news release said a serious citation is issued “when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.”
The news release said both elevator companies have 15 days from receipt of the OSHA citations to comply, request a conference with OSHA’s regional director or contest the findings before OSHA’s review commission.
“The tragic deaths of three people could have been prevented had the grain bin owners and operators followed the occupational safety standards and child labor laws,” said Hilda L. Solis, secretary of labor. “It is unconscionable to allow a minor to work in any high-hazard area. Haasbach’s and Hillsdale’s disregard for the law and commonsense safety practices has led to the devastation of three families.”
OSHA is a part of the U.S. Department of Labor.

Florida Firefighter Hospitalized in Chemical Fire

Florida Firefighter Hospitalized in Chemical Fire
by Melissa Harrold - Story by safetyhelpers.com

January 21, 2011

DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla. --
Nine people were treated for smoke inhalation after a chemical fire broke out Friday morning at a Deerfield Beach cosmetic manufacturer.  At about 10 a.m., Deerfield Beach Fire Rescue received a report of a fire at Oxygen Development at 1441 W. Newport Center Drive. John Quintoni, of Deerfield Beach Fire Rescue, said firefighters arrived to find a 55-gallon drum on fire in a lab.
According to fire officials, crews quickly extinguished the chemical fire. Eight workers and a firefighter were taken to a hospital for smoke inhalation. About 200 employees were evacuated from the building, and they were checked out for injuries related to the chemicals or smoke inhalation.
Quintoni said testing would have to be done to identify the chemical involved in the fire.
The American Red Cross and the Community Emergency Response Team were at the scene, as were about 22 emergency vehicles, according to Deerfield Beach Fire Rescue.

FL DOT awards $2.19 million contract to repair bridge damaged Friday in fatal tanker crash.

FL DOT awards $2.19 million contract to repair bridge damaged Friday in fatal tanker crash.

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Eastbound Beachline Reopens After Tanker Explosion @ Yahoo! Video

Construction to repair a BeachLine Expressway overpass damaged by a deadly tanker fire will cause headaches for motorists traveling between the Space Coast and downtown Orlando for nearly a month, officials said.

The Florida Department of Transportation awarded a construction contract todayto repair the bridge at North Courtenay Parkway in Merritt Island in 25 days.

FDOT spokesman Steve Olson said that Lane Construction beat two other bidders to win a $2.19 million contract for replacing both spans of an overpass along the BeachLine. The company pledged to have the thoroughfare ready for traffic in less than a month.

Construction began today on the charred roadway, where two drivers were killed Friday afternoon in an explosive crash involving a gas tanker and a pickup. Crews working on the round-the-clock project have to demolish and rebuild two support beams that were damaged, said FDOT engineer Frank O'Dea.

OSHA investigating accident at Good Samaritan

OSHA investigating accident at Good Samaritan
By Brian Slodysko

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating what caused Wednesday's accident at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove in which two workers were injured when a piece of equipment weighing at least 3,000 pounds came crashing down on them.

It is unknown when the investigation will be concluded or what the preliminary findings may be at this time, Kathy Webb, an OSHA area director based out of Aurora, said Friday.

Webb said an investigator was at the hospital on Thursday looking into the cause of the heavy equipment fall.

"We have a six-month statute of limitations on any investigation, but typically they don't take that long" to complete, Webb said.

Advocate Good Samaritan spokeswoman Jennifer Dooley said the hospital does not yet know what caused the accident, which occurred in a narrow maintenance corridor, but that information would "come out in due time."

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The hospital will implement any recommendations made by OSHA, Dooley aid.

The most severely injured of the two workers was still in fair condition at the hospital, she said. The other worker was treated and released after the accident. The hospital has declined to release the names of the two men, citing privacy concerns.

Both of the injured men were authorized to be in the corridor and were performing tasks related to their job at the time of the accident, she said.

According to Webb, Advocate Good Samaritan has two previous OSHA violations on record — one in 2002 and another dating back to 1993.

In 2002, Webb said, inspectors found there was either a blocked door or walkway, but her records weren't specific. She said the hospital was not fined.

In 1993, the hospital racked up five violations, including one in which inspectors found workers had been exposed to patients who potentially had tuberculosis and were not given an adequate number of respirators to protect themselves, Webb said.

10 Most Dangerous Jobs

10 Most Dangerous Jobs - Watch Video

January 21, 2011

Watch the list of the 10 most dangerous jobs in the US last year - according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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US Labor Department's OSHA cites Miami business for deliberately failing to protect employees from lead exposure, Lead Enterprises Inc. issued 32 citations, more than $307,000 in penalties

OSHA News Release

Region 4 News Release: 10-1748-ATL (19)
Jan. 20, 2011

US Labor Department's OSHA cites Miami business for deliberately
failing to protect employees from lead exposure
Lead Enterprises Inc. issued 32 citations, more than $307,000 in penalties

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued citations to Lead Enterprises Inc. in Miami, Fla., alleging that the company knowingly neglected to protect employees from lead exposure. The company is being cited with 32 safety and health violations, and $307,200 in total proposed penalties.

"This company was well aware of what it needed to do to protect its workers from a well-known hazard but failed to provide that protection," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Dr. David Michaels. "Lead exposure can cause many serious health issues including brain damage, kidney disease and harm to the reproductive system. Such a blatant disregard for OSHA's lead standard is shameful and will not be tolerated."

Lead Enterprises is a lead recycling and manufacturing company that produces lead products, including fish tackle, lead diving weights and lead-lined walls used in medical radiology facilities.

As a follow-up to a 2009 inspection, OSHA conducted a July 2010 inspection that resulted in four willful citations and proposed penalties of $224,000. The citations allege violations of OSHA's lead standard including exposing workers to lead above the permissible exposure limit; not providing engineering controls to reduce exposure; failure to perform ventilation measurements; failure to provide a clean change area; and failure to provide a suitable shower facility for workers exposed to lead above the permissible level. A willful violation exists when an employer has demonstrated either an intentional disregard for the requirements of the law or plain indifference to employee safety and health.

Additionally, 21 serious citations with proposed penalties of $70,400 allege that Lead Enterprises failed to perform an initial exposure determination for workers who clean the facility, to conduct quarterly monitoring, to notify workers of air monitoring results, to provide appropriate protective clothing, to maintain surfaces free from lead accumulation, to properly store oxygen and acetylene tanks in the facility, properly install production equipment, and to fix or remove defective forklift trucks. A serious citation is issued when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.

"The management of Lead Enterprises acknowledged awareness of the OSHA lead standard and the dangers associated with lead exposure but continued to allow the hazard to exist, exposing employees to a serious health risk," said Darlene Fossum, OSHA's area director in Fort Lauderdale.

Three repeat citations with a proposed penalty of $11,200 have been issued, alleging that the company failed to cover electrical wires on a furnace fan motor and record injuries on the OSHA recordkeeping forms for 2008 and 2010. A repeat citation is issued when an employer previously has been cited for the same or a similar violation of a standard, regulation, rule or order at any other facility in federal enforcement states within the last five years.

Two other-than-serious citations were issued with $1,600 in proposed penalties for failing to record instances of medical removal on OSHA 300 logs, and label containers that held lead-contaminated clothing. Two additional other-than-serious citations with no monetary penalties have been issued for failing to certify forklift operators and notify the laundering facility of lead exposure dangers.

In August 2010, OSHA issued citations to E.N. Range Inc. in Miami, a sister company of Lead Enterprises. E.N. Range is the primary lead supplier for Lead Enterprises, and both companies have the same owner. The earlier citations alleged that E.N. Range knowingly neglected to protect employees who clean gun ranges from serious overexposure to lead. E.N. Range also was cited for providing, without medical supervision, non-Food and Drug Administration-approved treatments for lead exposure. The company was cited for more than 50 violations of the lead and other standards, with total proposed penalties of $2,099,600. It is currently contesting the citations and penalties.

Lead Enterprises has 15 business days from receipt of the citations and proposed penalties to comply or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. The site was inspected by OSHA's area office in Fort Lauderdale; telephone 954-424-0242. To report workplace accidents, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, call OSHA's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742).

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to assure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov/index.html.

US Department of Labor's OSHA cites Amesbury, Mass., manufacturer for emergency response, respirator, chemical, electrical and other hazards

OSHA New Release

Region 1 News Release: 11-49-BOS/BOS 2011-021
Jan. 20, 2011

US Department of Labor's OSHA cites Amesbury, Mass., manufacturer for
emergency response, respirator, chemical, electrical and other hazards
Durasol Corp. faces $43,800 in proposed fines

ANDOVER, Mass. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Durasol Corp. for 13 alleged serious violations of workplace health and safety standards at its Amesbury, Mass., manufacturing plant. The manufacturer of hard gum erasers faces a total of $43,800 in proposed fines.

OSHA's inspection found a variety of emergency response, respirator, electrical and chemical hazards. The citations were issued for a lack of an emergency action plan, inadequate employee training in responding to emergencies, inadequate respirator training, lack of respirator fit-testing and medical evaluation, failure to evaluate respiratory hazards, unmarked exit routes, unlabeled containers of chemicals, severely corroded electrical equipment, an extension cord used in place of permanent wiring, inadequately guarded floor holes, missing stair rails, and an uninspected and improperly located emergency eyewash/shower.

OSHA issues a serious citation when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.

"These citations represent a cross section of deficiencies that, left uncorrected, expose workers to chemical and electrical hazards and to the consequences of not knowing how to respond in the event of an emergency," said Jeffrey Erskine, OSHA's area director for Essex and Middlesex counties in Massachusetts. "Prompt and effective corrective action by the company is warranted to ensure the health and well-being of the workers."

Durasol Corp. has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to comply, meet with the OSHA area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. The inspection was conducted by OSHA's Andover Area Office; telephone 978-837-4460. To report workplace incidents, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, call OSHA's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742).

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to assure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov/index.html.

Fatal Mine Blast Was Preventable, Report Says

Fatal Mine Blast Was Preventable, Report Says

By JOHN M. BRODER

Published: January 19, 2011

WASHINGTON — The West Virginia coal mine disaster last year that killed 29 miners was a preventable accident caused by a relatively small flare-up of methane gas that touched off a huge coal dust explosion, federal mine safety officials said Wednesday.

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Stephen Crowley/The New York Times

A memorial in July in Whitesville, W.Va., to the miners killed April 5 in the Upper Big Branch blast, which remains under inquiry.

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• Times Topic: Massey Energy Company

In a preliminary report, officials from the Mine Safety and Health Administration said their investigation found that Massey Energy, operator of the Upper Big Branch mine, had repeatedly violated federal rules governing ventilation and control of coal dust to reduce the risk of explosion.
The officials also said that the bits on a cutting tool known as a shearer, in use at the coal seam, were dull and produced sparks that could have ignited the methane gas. Water sprayers that should have doused the flame and controlled the explosive coal dust did not appear to be functioning properly, they said.
The mine safety officials cautioned that their findings, based on months of testing and hundreds of interviews, were tentative and that a more complete report would be ready in 60 to 90 days. They said that questions of negligence or culpability would be decided by a separate Department of Justice criminal investigation, which is continuing.
The Upper Big Branch mine explosion on April 5 was the deadliest coal mining accident in the United States in 40 years.
Shane Harvey, Massey Energy’s vice president and general counsel, said that the company had not been briefed on the interim federal findings provided to the news media on Wednesday and to the families of the dead and injured miners on Tuesday night. But he said that he had seen news accounts of the federal investigation and that the company disagreed with its major conclusions.
“Our findings are different than M.S.H.A.’s working theory, as we understand it,” Mr. Harvey said in an e-mailed statement. “We do not currently believe that there were issues with the bits or the sprays on the shearer that contributed to the explosion. We likewise do not believe that coal dust played a meaningful role in the explosion. We currently believe the mine was well rock dusted and that the mine exploded due to an infusion of high levels of natural gas.”
Mr. Harvey said that company officials would meet with families in the coming days to share their own conclusions about the accident. Federal investigators say they have found no evidence to support Massey’s theory that natural gas seeping into the mine had fueled the inferno.
Kevin G. Stricklin, the mine safety agency’s administrator for coal, said in a briefing for reporters on Wednesday that investigators had not yet pinpointed the source of ignition that led to the devastating explosion that tore through two miles of underground tunnels.
“We looked at 250 potential electrical sources and did not find any electrical ignition sources that could have created this explosion,” Mr. Stricklin said. He said that the most likely cause was sparks from the drilling machine hitting sandstone layers between coal seams, but that investigators had not ruled out sparks from a conveyor belt or a roof collapse.
Mr. Stricklin said that extensive testing had found that the multiple nozzles that were supposed to spray water to cool drill bits and control any sparks were not functioning properly. He said that small ignitions were not uncommon in other mines, but that they were generally controlled by ventilation, water sprayers and fire extinguishers.
He also noted that mine workers had reported significant buildups of coal dust on mining belts and machinery that had not been properly cleaned. He said that Massey had received hundreds of citations at the Upper Big Branch mine for noncompliance with coal dust control rules and other safety and health regulations.
Mr. Stricklin said that compliance with four critical mining practices was sufficient to prevent any underground explosion: adequate air flow, proper coal dust control, availability of water and regular quality-control inspections.
“We have always taken the position that all explosions are preventable,” Mr. Stricklin said, “and we stand by that today.”
After the findings were announced by mine safety officials on Wednesday, Representative George Miller, Democrat of California, released a statement calling on Congress to “close loopholes in federal mine safety law that contributed to the inability of M.S.H.A. to prevent the Upper Big Branch mine tragedy.”

A version of this article appeared in print on January 20, 2011, on page A17 of the New York edition.