Seattle, Las Vegas Had Most OSHA Inspections

• Seattle had the most occupational safety and health inspections for 2021-22 with 1,252, followed by Las Vegas (917) and Portland, Oregon (769), according to research from the Ogletree Deakins law firm.
• The OSHA Tracker database includes statistics from Fed-OSHA regions and from individual state plans, and now includes inspection data from cities.
• Other notable cities with hundreds of OSHA inspections per year include San Antonio (767), Brooklyn (732) (considered separately from the rest of New York City), Houston (717), Philadelphia (570), and Los Angeles (550).
• The top citation in Seattle related to residential construction is fall protection for roofing contractors. Las Vegas (644), third on the list of cities, reveals that hotels (except casino hotels) and motels were the top industry receiving citations.
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Roofer beats OSHA Citation

• Elmer W. Davis Inc., a roofing contractor in Rochester, N.Y., previously disciplined supervisors for fall protection problems, prompting a judge to vacate an OSHA citation against the company.
• OSHA alleged that Davis Inc. violated a rule by allowing workers on narrow, low-sloped roofs to not wear fall protection gear if a person was acting as a safety monitor to warn workers when they were close to the roof’s edge.
• The company claimed employee misconduct and OSHA saw no required fall protection measures
• However, the judge vacated the OSHA citation and a $4,566 fine, citing the proof of the safety discipline program.
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OSHA signs alliance with Colorado health association

• OSHA and the Colorado Health Care Association have signed an ambassador-level alliance to provide long-term care workers in Colorado with information, guidance, and access to training resources.
• The alliance includes an emphasis on sharing information about common hazards in the healthcare industry and whistleblower protection laws.
• Ambassador-level alliances are recognized for working collaboratively on safety and health issues raised by stakeholders. Unlike basic alliances, ambassador agreements remain in effect for the duration of an ongoing cooperative relationship.
• OSHA’s Alliance Program works with groups committed to worker safety and health to prevent workplace fatalities, injuries, and illnesses.
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Lawn service firm faces $198K in penalties

• A federal workplace safety inspection of a lawn service contractor’s operations at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, has found the company ignored safety requirements to save time, including removing safety guards on industrial lawnmowers.
• OSHA determined PRIDE Industries willfully allowed workers to operate zero-turn radius mowers without belt guards installed.
• Agency inspectors found the firm exposed employees to potential lacerations and serious eye injury by permitting workers to operate mowers with shoot guards in a tied-up position, among other violations.
• OSHA proposed $198,667 in penalties following its inspection on Sept. 9, 2022.
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