Fed-OSHA fines Ohio plumbing contractor $145K following trench fatality

Fed-OSHA has fined a Dayton, Ohio-based plumbing contractor more than $145,000 and put the company in the agency’s Severe Violator Enforcement Program following a trench collapse in April that killed a worker at a residential construction site. The company was cited for similar trenching and excavation hazards in 2017 and 2018. Dayton247Now.com

 

Teen employee dies after being pinned under wood panels at Illinois railyard

A 19-year-old employee was fatally trapped under large wood panels at a rail facility in Aurora, Illinois, on Thursday morning. Fed-OSHA is investigating. Daily Herald

 

Ag companies and farmers prepare for ‘killer heat’ to come

A new report by the Union of Concerned Scientists looks at at 18 different climate models to project what heat indexes could be by midcentury and late century. Some top agriculture states could see nearly two months worth of days where temperatures and humidity combine to create dangerous conditions for outdoor workers. Additionally, One in five rural hospitals are at risk of closing, according to healthcare consulting firm Navigant. Peoria Journal Star

 

Texas grocery company settles with Fed-OSHA

A Tyler, Texas grocery company has reached an informal settlement of more than $10,000 with Fed-OSHA in connection with the investigation of the death of a 22-year-old warehouse worker in March. The violations and settlement were not related to the death but were discovered during the subsequent investigation. KLTV (Tyler, Texas)

 

What does Fed-OSHA’s drone initiative mean for your business?

In 2018, Fed-OSHA used drones with cameras to conduct at least nine inspections of employer facilities, mainly in conditions that were otherwise dangerous for the inspector. At present the agency only may use drones for inspection activities with permission from employers. How should you handle a request from the agency to use drones for its inspection? National Law Review

 

Fed-OSHA no longer reconsidering Arizona’s state plan

Nearly five years after Fed-OSHA considered rejecting Arizona’s State Plan for Occupational Safety and Health, the federal agency is withdrawing its proposal to reconsider the state plan’s final approval status. Door & Window Market Magazine