Government Safety Regulations

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An OSHA investigation into a worker fatality at an Ohio country club uncovered a host of safety violations. The Rocky Fork Hunt and Country Club in Gahanna, Ohio, which has what it describes on its website as “175 scenic acres of landscaped grounds, dense forest, hills and fields” was the site of a fatal accident after a lawnmower a worker was operating tipped over.

After a yearlong delay that OSHA said it needed to address stakeholder concerns, employers in the construction industry must comply with a requirement for crane operator certification in the Cranes and Derricks Construction Standard as of November 10. Crane operators are certified (29 CFR 1926.1427), demonstrating sufficient knowledge and skill of the machines they’ll operate through both written and practical tests.

A Georgia peanut processing facility that failed to live up to its formal settlement with OSHA faces $309,505 in proposed penalties. OSHA says a follow-up inspection it conducted at the Leesburg worksite as part of that agreement found that Great Southern Peanut LLC failed to:

The American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) is in favor an electronic submission requirement in OSHA’s proposed rule for the tracking of workplace injuries and illnesses – but it wants a worker privacy study conducted before the rule is finalized. In a letter sent to the agency’s Director of Technical Support and Emergency Management, Amanda Edens, AIHA Director of Government Relations Mark Ames offered recommendations on the rule.

Six months after the fatal collapse of a pedestrian bridge in Miami, Florida, OSHA has announced citations against multiple contractors. The catastrophic failure of the bridge on March 15 occurred before the structure was even officially open, just days after crews dropped a 950-ton span in place. One bridge worker and five motorists were killed. Eight other people – five of them employees - were injured.

The U.S. Labor Department says its new Office of Compliance Initiatives (OCI) will strengthen compliance assistance outreach by promoting a greater understanding of federal labor laws and regulations. In announcing the new office last month, U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta said OCI efforts will help companies prevent violations and protect Americans' wages, workplace safety and health, retirement security, and other rights and benefits. As part of its work, OCI will work with the enforcement agencies to refine their metrics to ensure the efficacy of the Department's compliance assistance activities.