Massachusetts pharma factory explodes

A series of explosions occurred last week at a pharmaceutical chemical company in Newburyport, Massachusetts, forcing evacuation of three businesses. Fewer than 10 employees were working at the time of the initial explosions and they left the building safely, according to a press release. Daily News of Newburyport

Framing contractor sentenced for fall protection violations

The owner of a Florida framing company recently was sentenced to a 30-day federal prison sentence following the death of an employee who fell from a residential construction site. Fed-OSHA, which handed down $60,000 in civil penalties, concluded the employee was not using mandatory fall protection, and that the framing company ignored a third party warning the previous day about lack of safety equipment. JDSupra

Construction worker seriously injured in 30-foot fall at New Jersey mall

A demolition-construction company employee who was working at a New Jersey mall was seriously injured in a 30-foot fall through an opening on the roof Saturday. Morristown Daily Record

Teen injured in fall at document warehouse

A 19-year-old employee was severely injured last week in a fall in a Cranbury Township, New Jersey record storage warehouse. No one reportedly witnessed the fall. According to police report, the employee’s only source of lighting was a headlamp. Fed-OSHA is investigating. TAP into South Brunswick

Another fatality on Georgia interchange project

A construction worker on the I-285/Ga. 400 interchange rebuilding project died after falling from the roadway on February 14, the second fatal fall on the project in just over four months. Another worker was hospitalized in an unidentified accident on the I-285 portion of the project in 2018. Reporter Newspapers

Fed-OSHA to target roadway construction activities for silica exposure

Fed-OSHA has revised its National Emphasis Program to identify and reduce worker exposure to silica dust. The agency intends to target roadway construction, specifically milling activities, and recommends that asphalt contractors review their Silica Rule compliance efforts with a focus on controls for milling machines and power brooms, as well as dusty asphalt plant activities. For Construction Pros