Fed-OSHA proposes more than $190K in fines for Ohio power plant collapse
Fed-OSHA has proposed new fines totaling $192,510 against two contractors involved in the December 9 collapse of a power plant in Adams County, Ohio that killed two men. The agency says the companies failed to monitor the site for potential hazards or remove employees from hazardous areas. WCPO
New York plastics plant faces $41K fine following 2020 chemical leak
A Selkirk, New York plastics manufacturer is facing a nearly $41,000 Fed-OSHA fine in connection with last September’s leak of styrene gas from a railcar at the factory that resulted in a shutdown of local roads. The agency says the company did not develop written operating procedures with clear instructions for movement and storage of styrene monomer railcars, which exposed employees to toxic, fire, and explosion hazards. There was no explosion or reported injuries from the leak, which was contained in about an hour. Times Union (Albany, N.Y.)
Washington L&I inspection finds hazards to Amazon warehouse employees
Washington state safety regulators have found a “direct connection” between the incidence of injuries at an Amazon warehouse and the expectation that warehouse employees “maintain a very high pace of work” or else face discipline. Muscle, joint and nerve injuries caused by the repetitive rhythms of the warehouse have left some Amazon employees without work and in constant pain. The finding comes after a January inspection of a fulfillment center in Pierce County. Seattle Times
Michigan: Unvaccinated employees still have to wear masks
Michigan employers no longer have to require mask-wearing and social distancing on the job if employees are vaccinated against COVID-19 under new workplace safety rules issued Monday by MIOSHA, but unvaccinated employees still must wear masks if they cannot consistently maintain six feet of separation from other individuals indoors in the workplace, according to the agency’s new emergency rules that will remain in place for six months. Crain’s Detroit Business
Fed-OSHA hosts public meeting for whistleblower protection
Following a similar call held last October, Fed-OSHA on May 19 held a public stakeholder meeting to discuss its Whistleblower Protection Program and solicit feedback from interested individuals on how to improve administration of the program. Several stakeholder groups, including representatives from industry and legal providers, along with self-described whistleblowers, contributed to the conversation and their comments fell into several broad categories, write three Morgan Lewis attorneys. JD Supra
Avoid these top 10 Fed-OSHA violations in laundry service industry
Over the next four years, employers in the industrial laundry industry should be prepared for enhanced enforcement inspections by Fed-OSHA. This article outlines the top 10 violations cited by the agency during inspections at laundry service facilities and examines the primary requirements of each of the cited standards. Laundry News
Loose bricks fall from roof of Massachusetts building, injuring two
Two people were injured Tuesday after loose bricks fell off the roof of a building in Fall River, Massachusetts. One of them was in critical but stable condition. Fed-OSHA is investigating. WPRI (Providence)