OSHA proposes $218,759 in penalties for Arkansas firm
- OSHA determined that a 39-year-old employee of a south Arkansas timberland and sawmill facility suffered fatal injuries from an automated lumber stacking machine at its Bearden location.
- The employee of Anthony Timberlands Inc. was cleaning around and beneath the machine in February 2023 when its hoist table fell on them.
- Inspectors learned the company had the lumber stacking system installed in July 2022 without any barrier devices to prevent employees from entering the area beneath the stacker hoist.
- OSHA issued citations to the company for four serious violations, including failing to provide lockout and tagout procedures to prevent a machine from starting and moving during maintenance, and proposed $218,759 in penalties for the violations.
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OSHA wants to ensure PPE fit properly
- Regulators are clarifying personal protective equipment requirements for the construction industry after years of lobbying by labor groups and by the OSHA internal advisory committees.
- Changes will focus primarily on ensuring that PPE fits workers properly.
- OSHA currently requires construction employers to provide workers with PPE that is high-quality.
- The rule change will affect around 10% of the construction workforce. There are costs to transition, but PPE cost differences based on size are minimal.
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North Carolina lacks heat protections
- North Carolina has no standards or regulations to protect workers from heat.
- Advocates are calling for a change in light of perceived global warming.
- The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that an average of 43 outdoor workers die of heat exposure each year.
- Only five states have heat standards for outdoor workers — California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, and Minnesota, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council.
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Roofing company faces $328,143 in fines
- OSHA cited a Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, roofing contractor for exposing employees to falls.
- Inspectors observed employees of Avila’s Roofing LLC working at heights of up to 27 feet in February 2023 without fall protection, in violation of federal workplace safety requirements.
- They also learned the company had not provided employees with effective training on fall hazards and allowed them to work without eye and face protection when potential risks of eye or face injury existed.
- OSHA cited Avila’s Roofing for two willful and two serious safety violations and one other-than-serious violation. The violations carry $328,143 in proposed penalties.
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