Workers in Wisconsin suffer burns at fitness center

• OSHA is investigating after a 23-year-old man was taken to a hospital in Waukesha, Wisconsin, for treatment of burns he received while working on a boiler at the ProHealth West Wood Health & Fitness Center.
• Waukesha Fire Department Battalion Chief Tim Fleming said the incident occurred when the man was working on boiler equipment for the building’s heating and ventilation system.
• The boiler released built-up steam, burning the man on his upper body, Fleming said.
• Paramedics treated the man at the scene and he was later transported to St. Mary’s Burn Center and no one else was affected by the incident.
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OSHA releases findings in movie set shooting

• A New Mexico OSHA compliance officer said the $100,000 citation was issued for the shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in the movie set Rust because the agency determined that the management team was responsible for a series of failures that in our opinion accumulated in an accident.
• Inspectors with OSHA in part found that armorer Hannah Gutierrez, who was in charge of weapons on the set, was not given enough time for her duties.
• They also found that on-set management did not have any way to prevent the possibility of live rounds or real bullets being brought on-set.
• The defense also questioned whether on-scene witnesses weren’t immediately separated at the start of the investigation and worried about how long the scene remained unsecured.
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OSHA to provide info on crystalline silica

• An OSHA webinar scheduled for March 14 will deal with protecting workers in the engineered stone industry from exposure to crystalline silica.
• Workers can inhale silica dust while cutting, sawing, drilling, or crushing materials such as rock and stone.
• Crystalline silica can damage lung tissue and lead to black lung disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or silicosis, defined by NIOSH as “an irreversible but preventable lung disease.”
• A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report published in September 2019 warned of “an emerging public health threat” after researchers identified an increase in cases of silicosis among workers who handle engineered stone designed primarily for household countertops.
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Frozen food manufacturer faces OSHA fines

• A frozen food manufacturer in Robbinsville, New Jersey with an extensive history of violating federal safety and health standards, was cited again by OSHA after a worker suffered an amputation in August 2023.
• The agency determined the company exposed workers to lockout/tagout hazards – where energy may be inadvertently released – and cited it for four willful, one repeat, and three serious violations, amounting to a $551,719 penalty.
• OSHA has inspected CJ TMI Manufacturing LLC six times in the past five years and placed the company in the Severe Violator Enforcement Program after an inspection produced a significant case in 2021.
• CJ TMI Manufacturing LLC manufactures frozen dumplings, wontons, and noodles for the Twin Marquis and Chef One brands.
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