New York City wall collapse kills one employee, injures a second
A nearly 10-foot-high brick retaining wall collapsed in the backyard of a home in Brooklyn, New York, on December 28, trapping two construction workers beneath it, according to authorities. One of them died and the other was seriously injured. Fed-OSHA is investigating. amNY
Michigan had more work safety complaints in 2020 than last 4 years combined
Michigan OSHA has received 12,046 complaints about health and safety violations in workplaces since March 2020, more complaints than the agency had in fiscal years 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 combined. Around 90 percent of them are COVID-19 related, according to the state’s director of COVID-19 workplace safety. Almost all of the recent cases have been spurred by employee complaints. MLive
Trench collapse kills public works employee in Michigan
An Eastpointe, Michigan city employee died in the hospital after being trapped in an underground trench that collapsed last week. The employee was working on a water main break about 10-12 feet underground, according to a fire official, when the shores of the trench collapsed. He was trapped for about 10 minutes before firefighters could pull him from the scene. Macomb Daily
Construction trench collapse kills Maryland man
An 30-year-old employee at a construction site in Fairfax County, Virginia was fatally injured December 18 as he and another man were working in a 6-foot-deep residential plumbing trench when the trench wall collapsed. A preliminary investigation indicates the wall collapsed as the crew tried to shore up another part of the trench. Daily Progress (Charlottesville, Va.)
New FAA rule could expand use of drones in Fed-OSHA inspections
Just prior to the new year, the Federal Aviation Administration announced a final rule that could lead Fed-OSHA to push for increased use of drones in its inspections, according to several attorneys at Seyfarth Shaw. Fed-OSHA policy prohibits compliance officers from exposing themselves to hazards during inspections, often limiting their ability to climb ladders and otherwise observe conditions on towers or hard-to-reach places. In recent years, the agency has sought to remedy those limitations by photographing and videoing worksites. JD Supra
Minnesota employee killed in pipeline accident
A 45-year-old contractor on a pipeline project was fatally struck in December by an industrial forklift at a construction yard, as he was checking a list of materials, during construction of a $2.6 billion pipeline project across northern Minnesota. MNOSHA is investigating. He is the fourth employee of the contractor to be killed in an on-the-job incident since 2010, according to Fed-OSHA records. Star-Tribune
Montana releases 2019 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries
The Montana Department of Labor & Industry has released the annual Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries. The state experienced 38 work-related fatal injuries in 2019, an increase from 28 in 2018. According to the report, 42 percent of the deaths occurred on farms. The state reports 30-40 work-related fatalities per year is considered to be the average in Montana. KPVI (Pocatello, Idaho)
OR-OSHA warns not to retaliate against employees who quarantine or isolate
Oregon OSHA late last month reminded employers they are not allowed to retaliate against any employees who need to quarantine or isolate due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A temporary rule intended to curb the spread of the virus took effect in mid-November; with certain parts phased in, it is expected to remain in effect until early May. KTVZ