OSHA Fire Brigade Rule Draws Heat in New York

The Firefighters Association of the State of New York (FASNY) on Thursday said OSHA’s pending rules on full-time and volunteer fire departments would create significant administrative and operational difficulties and could ultimately compromise public safety.
In a statement following the group’s meeting, FASNY said volunteer fire departments save New York residents almost $4 billion annually in additional property taxes by donating their time and efforts.
“If OSHA moves forward with these regulations, communities will have to make some tough decisions,” the group said. That, they warned, could leave those communities open to fines, citations, and civil liability exposure should an injury or death occur.
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After a controversial and failed vote in March, Cal/OSHA’s Standards Board adopts a revised indoor heat illness rule. Will this one pass muster with OAL?
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Superfeet said it will supply its insoles as part of Work Right NW’s injury prevention program.
The goal is to boost industrial workplace safety by ensuring that worker has the right insoles for their role.
The Washington state workplace safety and health provider said this new collaboration will give its clients’ employees access to a more personalized recommendation process to find the right insoles to reduce injuries on the job.
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The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) on Friday announced it will provide $10.5 million in grant funding for mine safety training nationwide.
The money is targeted at federally mandated training and retraining through the Department of Labor’s State Grants program.
The recipient is required to provide at least 20% of the total program costs, while MSHA may fund as much as 80% of the program costs under a state grant.
Application deadline is Aug. 20, 2024.
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American Home Protect and its parent company, Porch Group, were ordered by OSHA to reinstate and pay back wages and compensatory damages to an employee who was fired a year ago after informing upper management about deceptive business practices.
The employee blew the whistle on practices that delayed or blocked customer refunds.
The Plano, Texas company was determined to have retaliated, which OSHA said violated provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the Consumer Financial Protection Act that forbid employer retaliation against a worker who raises concerns about inappropriate financial activities.
Along with the employee’s reinstatement, OSHA ordered the company to pay $109,661 in back wages and $76,289 in compensatory damages to the employee.
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Washington State fruit grower Stemilt Ag Services was cited this week for almost a half dozen “willful serious” violations in connection with a March incident that buried one of a crew of 10 workers repairing an irrigation pipe when a portion of a trench collapsed.
The designation “willful serious” are among what the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries labels the most serious violations it investigates.
The company was previously cited in 2021 for similar trenching hazard violations and fined nearly $17,000.
Stemilt is appealing the latest citation.
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