New Mexico cannabis producer charged in explosion

The executive director and owner of a Santa Fe, New Mexico cannabis production business is facing criminal charges for the October explosion at a dispensary and manufacturing plant that critically injured two employees. The owner is accused of altering the hot plate system used to extract THC from the cannabis plant at the facility. The two employees who were critically burned told investigators neither of them received extraction training and each recalled the owner tampering with the extraction equipment before and after inspections. Albuquerque Journal

 

Employers appeal OR-OSHA fines in roofer’s fatal fall at school site

The general contractor and roofing subcontractor for a new high school in Bend are appealing their citations and fines issued by Oregon OSHA in connection with an incident last August in which a 37-year-old roofer fell to his death. The agency says the roofing company did not ensure employees were adequately protected when using a rubber-tired trailer on the school’s pitched roof, despite the instruction manual saying it was for use on flat, level roofs only. KTVZ

 

Employee fatally crushed by excavator at Oregon worksite

A person working for a construction crew in Clackamas County, Oregon died Thursday morning after being crushed by an excavator at a blueberry field worksite. Oregon OSHA was notified. KGW

 

Nevada employee dies after fall at jobsite

An employee in his early 20’s fell, became entrapped and died at an excavation site in Jean, Nevada Thursday morning. Nevada OSHA is investigating. Las Vegas Review-Journal [may require registration]

 

Fed-OSHA cites roofer in teenager’s fall

Fed-OSHA has cited a roofing/construction contractor and fined it more than $73,000 after the agency says a 14-year-old was critically injured in a 20-foot fall from a Berea, Ohio townhome roof in December. The boy was employed by the company, but a local Fed-OSHA official says child labor laws do not permit a 14-year-old to work construction work at heights. After the boy fell, the company owner and three employees were seen putting on personal fall protection equipment, apparently trying to hide that fall protection wasn’t used, according to the Department of Labor. Cleveland.com

 

Fed-OSHA fines two companies a combined $246K following finger amputation

Fed-OSHA has cited a Montana manufacturer and supplier of beekeeping equipment and a staffing services company for violations including unguarded saw blades, rotating machinery, belts, pulleys and chains, following a recent incident that resulted in a partial amputation of an employee’s finger. The federal agency claims an employee suffered a serious injury and another required hospitalization in an incident that the company failed to report. Lake County Leader