Texas man killed in industrial accident at Alabama steel plant
In the last month and a half at least three men have lost their lives while on the job in North Alabama. The most recent death was Monday at a steel plant in Morgan County, when an an outside contractor from Texas reportedly was run over by a forklift as it was being moved onto or off of a trailer. WAFF
Congress considering $70K and $700K Fed-OSHA penalties
A Congressional committee has approved maximum penalties of $70,000 for serious items and $700,000 for repeated, willful, and failure-to-abate items for violations of Fed-OSHA standards. The move would mean more than a fivefold increase of maximum willful, repeated, and failure-to-abate violations, write Courtney M. Malveaux, Melanie L. Paul, Catherine A. Cano and Kristina T. Brooks of Jackson Lewis. The penalty increases mirror provisions in the “Protecting America’s Workers Act,” a measure that has been proposed in recent Congresses but has never passed. National Law Review
Retailers seek 90 days to comply with vaccination law
Two leading retail-sector trade groups asked the labor secretary to give companies 90 days of “lead time” to implement the forthcoming mandate for COVID-19 vaccination or testing for tens of millions of employees. The National Retail Federation and Retail Industry Leaders Association said the “extensive measures” businesses will need to implement require an ample window before enforcement begins. Bloomberg Law [may require registration]
Man dies weeks after falling off scaffolding at Pennsylvania hotel construction site
A 34-year-old York County, Pennsylvania man died Sunday, nearly three weeks after falling 50 feet off scaffolding at his construction job on August 31. He suffered significant injuries to his head, back and left lower extremity. Fed-OSHA is investigating. PennLive
Farming is one of the most dangerous jobs in the country
This week is National Farm Safety and Health Week, an effort to raise awareness for the dangers farmers face every day. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the agriculture sector is the most dangerous in the country. There are 573 fatalities each year in the farming profession, which equals 23 deaths per 100,000 employees. WQAD (Davenport, Iowa)
New restaurant safety measures expected
Fed-OSHA will start drafting additional safety standards for restaurant kitchens next month as part of a new Biden administration initiative to protect employees from dangerous heat, the White House announced Monday. Restaurant Business