Guidelines fall under Taxpayer First Act

• The Labor Dept. issued a final rule adopting final the procedures and time frames for handling employee retaliation complaints under the Taxpayer First Act, enacted on July 1, 2019.
• The Act protects employees who report or assist in an investigation regarding underpayment of taxes or potential violations of the internal revenue laws or Federal law relating to tax fraud.
• The Act also protects employees who assist in any action taken by the Internal Revenue Service relating to these issues.
• This final rule adopts the procedures and time frames established in OSHA’s interim final rule.
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Grain bin death leads to massive fines

• An OSHA investigation into a grain bin death in Roseland, Nebraska, found the employer disregarded federal regulations designed to prevent such tragedies.
• The agency determined that Agri-Service Center Roseland failed to equip the employee with an adequate body harness and lifeline that co-workers could have used to rescue him.
• Inspectors say the company kept lifeline equipment on site, but not a device designed for side entry onto the grain.
• OSHA proposed $531,268 in penalties and issued 16 violations, two willful and 14 serious.
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• Panel vacates Postal Service citations
  The Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission recently vacated four OSHA citations of the U.S. Postal Service for letter carriers in Arkansas, Texas, and West Virginia.
• The citations stemmed from exposure to excessive heat.
• The commissioners concluded that OSHA failed to identify economically and technically feasible prevention measures the Postal Service could have taken.
• The panel concluded that a Des Moines, Iowa, station failed to provide heat safety training for City Carrier Assistants and sent the case back to a review commission administrative law judge.
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Florida contractor cited for various infractions

• OSHA cited a Florida roofing contractor after a 15-year-old worker fell 20 feet from the top of a two-story home and suffered severe head and spinal injuries.
• JGN Services LLC was penalized for three serious violations and OSHA proposed penalties of $8,702 for the incident.
• The agency said the contractor failed to install a guardrail, safety net, or personal fall arrest system for employees doing roof work, allowed the improper use of ladders, and failed to train workers on recognizing fall hazards.
• OSHA assessed a $55,841 civil penalty against JGN under the Child Labor Enhanced Penalty Program, saying the company violated child labor laws.
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