Carbon monoxide that emergency prompts investigation
- A construction company in Hartford, Connecticut, is under investigation for an excessive buildup of poisonous fumes inside a downtown building that sent 14 people to the hospital.
- Alberca Construction Co. LLC is being probed in connection with a buildup of carbon monoxide that emergency crews detected at a commercial building at 73 Howe St., according to the federal OSHA. Yale University owns the property.
- Officials said the construction workers who were renovating the building did not properly vent the fumes wafting from a propane-powered saw they were using to cut concrete, causing a buildup of carbon monoxide that was 10 times the safe amount.
- The workers also were not using carbon monoxide detectors, officials said.
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LMA Services Company LLC faces $142K in penalties
- OSHA found that a Stoughton, Massachusetts, general contractor could have prevented an employee from suffering fatal injuries in June 2023 if the employer had followed required safety regulations and trained workers on the safe operation of heavy equipment at a Brockton work site.
- LMA Services Company LLC exposed employees to struck-by and caught between hazards as they worked near a compact track loader doing excavation work for a new building at Brockton Hospital.
- OSHA investigators discovered the track loader’s bucket was elevated and being used to load and unload crushed stone on uneven ground as an employee worked beneath.
- OSHA also issued the company a second other-than-serious citation for its failure to provide the requested OSHA logs within the required time. The agency assessed $142,642 in proposed penalties.
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Michigan firm gets Michigan OSHA grant
- Edible Garden AG Inc, a firm that produced locally grown, organic, and sustainable produce and products, received a grant from the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
- The goal of the program is to create a safer and healthier work environment and reduce the risk of injury and illness to workers in Michigan.
- The grant will enable the company to establish a more secure and health-conscious workplace, diminishing the likelihood of accidents and health issues among employees at our Edible Garden Heartland site in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
- The funds also will aid in the implementation of advanced safety protocols and health measures, substantially mitigating the risks of workplace-related injuries and illnesses.
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Battery firm faces fines for safety violations
- A global electric vehicle battery manufacturer exposed employees at its Commerce plant to serious and potentially disabling safety and health hazards, an OSHA inspection found.
- SK Battery America Inc. was cited for six serious violations and one other-than-serious violation after finding the company:
- The firm subjected employees to continuous noise levels exceeding the 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 A-weighted decibels by not developing a monitoring program, nor establishing an audiometric testing program, including a valid baseline audiogram.
- OSHA has proposed $75,449 in penalties, an amount set by federal statute.
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