Fed-OSHA fines manufacturing plant more than $230K

Fed-OSHA is proposing fines of $232,000 after citing Daikin America for nine serious violations, including employees allegedly exposed to toxins, at its Decatur, Alabama plant. The agency says the company failed to provide appropriate protective equipment and implement safe work practices during maintenance activities on chemical processing equipment. WAFF

MIOSHA investigating company after complaints

Michigan OSHA is investigating a Pontiac mortgage business after receiving more than 50 complaints since November about how it is handling COVID-19. Current and former employees say that mandatory meetings are being held with hundreds and sometimes thousands of people. They also say there is no social distancing, masks aren’t required, plexiglass dividers between work areas are no longer up, and employees can’t work from home. Fox2Detroit

Back to the office, and other workplace trends of 2022

Although some major companies have delayed their return-to-office plans, an Arizona executive business coach says most of the 31 companies he works with are slowly bringing employees back onsite early this year; and another workplace trend for 2022 will be the return of employee enrichment and corporate training. AZfamily

Biden administration eyes regulatory actions that will affect farms, agribusinesses

Proposals to address competition in the livestock and poultry industry are on the way in 2022, according to the Department of Agriculture, one of the many federal agencies whose actions in the coming year have the potential to affect farmers’ bottom line. Farmers and agribusiness also should keep a close eye on what comes out of the Environmental Protection Agency, Labor Department, Interior Department and Food and Drug Administration. Agri-Pulse

Many Americans still exposed to unhealthy chemicals at work

Thirty-five years ago, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health estimated more than one million employees were being exposed to methylene chloride. Seven years ago, the EPA admitted that at least 230,000 employees were directly exposed to methylene chloride from paint strippers, but these numbers are underestimated, according to Annie Hoang, a medical student at the University of California in San Francisco. Environmental Health News