News Digest 6-10-2021

 

Details released of rescue at Montana sugar silo

Authorities are investigating what led to an employee being buried to his chest in late May at the Billings Western Sugar Cooperative in Montana. Now, rescuers are describing the meticulous process of how they extracted the employee from the silo. KBZK (Bozeman, Mont.)

 

Fed-OSHA asks state to investigate nurses’ complaints about Detroit-area hospital

Fed-OSHA has asked the state of Michigan to launch an investigation into a Mt. Clemens, Michigan hospital in response to nurses’ reports of sanitary problems including stacks of soiled linens, overflowing garbage cans, dirty bathrooms, and messy floors, and a lack of COVID-19 protocols. WXYZ

 

OR-OSHA fines wine restaurant nearly $18K

A Sisters, Oregon wine bistro has been fined $17,800 by Oregon OSHA for allegedly violating COVID-19 rules. The agency says the restaurant willfully chose to allow indoor dining despite a public health order limiting capacity to zero in Deschutes County. The business is appealing the citation. Bend Bulletin

 

Oregon OSHA issued nearly $45k in fines for COVID-19 violations in May

Oregon OSHA cited four businesses for COVID-19 violations during the month of May, with penalties totaling $44,600. The agency has noted that even if a business faces a penalty and the county’s risk level drops, a citation can still be issued. KATU (Portland)

 

New Jersey company fined after employee dies cleaning crude oil from railcars

A 29-year-old Luzerne County, Pennsylvania man climbed into a rail car to scrape oil sludge from its walls in 2019. He collapsed within 30 minutes and soon died. Fed-OSHA has fined the company $325,000. Supervisors onsite did not ventilate the cars or check the oxygen levels inside, but instead gave employees respirators that were not OSHA-certified, according to court documents. Pocono Record

 

Court battle over warrant to inspect poultry plant after fatal nitrogen leak

Fed-OSHA and a food processing company for months have waged a legal battle over warrants to inspect the Gainesville, Georgia poultry processing plant’s facilities following a January nitrogen leak that killed six people. The company argues that if the court does not halt the enforcement of the warrant, it will lose its ability to protect its right from unlawful search and seizure. Gainesville Times

 

Man dies after falling through Florida fire station roof

Stuart, Florida police yesterday identified the 27-year-old man who died after falling through a roof at a fire station on Tuesday. Fed-OSHA is investigating. TC Palm