Missouri construction worker dies in trench collapse

A trench collapse Wednesday killed a construction worker doing utility work at a residential site in Grain Valley, Missouri. Emergency crews were called shortly before noon and tried hurriedly for around 25 minutes to dig out the employee from about a 10-foot trench before they transitioned to recovery, according to a fire official. Fed-OSHA is investigating. Examiner

 

New York: Long Island hotel employee dies after fall from window

A 41-year-old Long Island hotel employee has died after falling from an upper floor window on December 25. Times News Express

 

Contractor dies in fall at Illinois foundry

A 50-year-old contractor working at a Caterpillar Inc. foundry in central Illinois fell to his death on the Thursday before Christmas, authorities said. According to Fed-OSHA’s preliminary investigation, the man stepped off a ladder before falling 20 feet to his death through a hole in the floor. Lexington Herald-Leader [with audio]

 

How Fed-OSHA has dealt with its pandemic-related workload

The director of the Baltimore-Washington Fed-OSHA area discusses how the pandemic has made things busy and a little difficult for the agency. Federal News Network [with audio]

 

Supreme Court to hear oral arguments on ETS vaccine mandate this week

The Supreme Court has scheduled high-stakes expedited oral arguments on January 7 in key federal vaccine mandate cases. The cases involve Fed-OSHA’s Emergency Temporary Standard, which requires a vaccine-or-test mandate for private employers with more than 100 employees. JD Supra

 

Pennsylvania: More nursing home staff getting vaccinated against COVID-19

Following Fed-OSHA’s vaccination mandate announced in early November, most Johnstown-area nursing homes saw significant increases in staff vaccination rates that month, according to Pennsylvania Department of Health data. Tribune-Democrat (Johnstown, Pa.)

 

Ohio appellate court dismissed lawsuit against industrial plant

An Ohio appeals court has unanimously ruled against an Avon Lake man who sued an industrial firm in 2017 alleging he had been injured by noises, vibrations and smells coming from its plant. A trial court judge dismissed the claims last February on lack of scientific, geological, radiological, or atmospheric evidence to support the claims, or medical testimony or evidence to verify the plaintiff’s alleged physiological or psychological injuries. Chronicle-Telegram