Only a Fraction of Maryland’s Heat-Related Incidents Show as Reported to State
- Maryland’s Occupational Safety and Health agency (MOSH) has initiated only 32 inspections since 2019 into employers reported for heat stress-related issues, according to data obtained by The Baltimore Banner.
- However, this year alone, more than 1,000 people in the state have sought medical assistance for heat-related illness, according to the state health department.
- Emergency room and urgent care visits for heatstroke, heat exhaustion and hyperthermia are the highest recorded in the last five years, according to the report.
- The Maryland Department of Labor was unable to provide numbers on how many reports of heat-related concerns MOSH has received since 2019.
- Last week, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore called for a state investigation of the death of a Baltimore city employee who died from hyperthermia.
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OSHA Official Outlines Priorities, With Focus on Repeat Violators
- OSHA is prioritizing repeat safety noncompliance and encouraging workers to speak out, according to Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Doug Parker.
- He told participants at the American Society of Safety Professional’s annual conference on Aug. 9 that the agency is expanding its efforts to reduce worker risks in businesses with repeat safety violations.
- In prepared remarks, Parker said the agency is taking more aggressive interventions to improve safety and encourage whistle blowers.
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Adidas America Faces Penalties Equal to 10,570 Shoes for Not Correcting Fall Hazards
- The U.S. unit of the world’s number two sneaker brand, Adidas, faces an additional $396,377 in penalties for continuing to ignore U.S. Department of Labor workplace safety standards.
- That’s the equivalent of 5,285 pairs of men’s sneakers, which have an average price of $75 per pair, according to industry website RunRepeat.
- Adidas America previously paid $17,403 in penalties for citations requiring it to correct existing fall hazards at its Chester, New York warehouse.
- The latest penalties come after a January 2024 follow-up inspection at the facility prompted by the shoe company’s failure to submit required proof to OSHA that it had installed required guardrails or equivalent protection for employees accessing and working atop a mezzanine, and made certain a ladder used to access the mezzanine extended at least three feet above the landing.
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