New England Recycling Faces $250,000 Fine Following Worker’s Death
- A Freetown company, New England Recycling, admitted guilt in federal court to a criminal violation of OSHA safety standards that caused a worker’s death.
- The fatal incident in 2022 involved an employee crushed during maintenance on an unprotected soil screening machine.
- Federal prosecutors determined the company failed to implement required machine guarding and lockout-tagout safeguards.
- New England Recycling faces a $250,000 fine and five years of probation.
OSHA Fines Fall River Facility $186,778 After Fatal 2025 Fire
- OSHA has cited Gabriel Care Inc. for 13 workplace safety violations and proposed fines totaling $186,778 following a fatal 2025 fire at its Fall River facility.
- Violations included failures in training employees on fire evacuation procedures and hazard communication programs.
- Inspectors also found blocked exit ramps, unmarked emergency exits, and exposed electrical wiring as physical hazards.
- The facility’s owner is contesting the findings, which delays the penalties pending a federal review.
OSHA Rules Personal E-Cigarette Battery Burns Are Recordable Workplace Injuries
- OSHA confirmed in a January 20, 2026, letter of interpretation that workplace burns resulting from personal e-cigarette batteries are recordable injuries.
- This guidance addresses a scenario where a personal lithium-ion battery ignited after contacting a work key, causing significant burns.
- OSHA determined the incident was work-related as it occurred in the work environment during assigned hours.
- The ruling applies even if the employer lacked control over the personal hazard.