OSHA has cited both a contractor and the operator of a natural gas processing plant in Houston, Pennsylvania, following a fire that killed one worker and left three others badly burned.
The agency cited Energy Transportation LLC, the company contracted to clean lines and vessels at the plant, for violations of the process safety management (PSM) standard, and for exposing employees to flammable vapor and liquid while they off-loaded waste material from a vessel into a mobile tank.
The US Chemical Safety Board’s (CSB) investigation into an Oklahoma blowout that killed five workers blames the incident on a lack of regulations governing onshore drilling safety as well as shortcomings in safety management systems and industry standards utilized by the industry.
The CSB’s final investigation report into the Pryor Trust gas well explosion in Pittsburgh County calls on regulators, industry groups, the state of Oklahoma and companies to address such gaps.
In a state v. federal fight regarding worker protections, California and the bus industry are butting heads over hours of service (HOS) regulations. The latest salvo was fired this week, when California Attorney General Xavier Becerra urged the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to deny a petition by the American Bus Association (ABA) that claims California labor protections for bus drivers are preempted by federal law.
It’s 2019 and the robots haven’t taken over...yet. Despite wild internet theories and predictions that robotics and automation would take jobs away from Americans, especially in the labor and trades, the United States is actually looking at a large skills gap in the trades and an even larger number of unfilled jobs.
Employees at a psychiatric hospital in Colorado were exposed to workplace violence and bloodborne pathogens, according to OSHA investigators, who fined their employer $32,392.
OSHA inspected Centennial Peaks Hospital in Louisville, an acute psychiatric treatment facility owned by UHS of Centennial Peaks LLC, after a complaint of workplace violence was lodged with the agency in December 2018.
Workers who are required to do their jobs in extremely hot environments — from construction sites to chemical plants and offshore oil rigs — can be at risk of serious heat-related injuries and illnesses.
Workplace violence strikes in Virginia Beach, surprising data about medical marijuana and occupational fatalities and job burn-out gets some official recognition. These were among the top occupational safety and health stories featured on ISHN.com this week.
After an anhydrous ammonia leak sent a Florida farm worker for medical treatment, OSHA investigators found multiple violations related to the hazardous material at his workplace.
The agency cited Duda Farm Fresh Foods Inc. – based in Belle Glade –for failing to:
Violations in construction, warehouse, retail industries
June 6, 2019
OSHA cited online pet supply company Chewy, Inc., after a worker suffered fatal injuries while operating a stand-up industrial truck. The company faces maximum penalties of $14,323 for exposing workers to struck-by and crushing hazards.
Less than half of the states where the drug treatment is legal protect patients from employment discrimination. Courts have generally sided with employers -- until recently.
Summary: Of the 33 states where medical marijuana is legal, 14 protect patients from employment discrimination. Recent court rulings signal a potential shift in favor of employees.