Workers toiling in a trench in St. Louis, Missouri were in danger because their workspace was unprotected by a trench box or some other trench protection, according to OSHA, which cited R.V. Wagner Inc for multiple violations. The citations issued to the Affton, Missouri-based company were for a project involving the installation of concrete storm water pipes. Proposed penalties for violations of trench safety standards: $212,158.

The 2016 case of a worker killed by an electric shock while repairing a ceiling light fixture came to a close recently, with an administrative law judge affirming OSHA citations issued to the man’s employer. The fatality involved a worker who was untrained in electrical safety work practices. The Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC) judge ruled that Jersey City Medical Center willfully failed to train the employee for the hazardous electrical work he was directed to perform.

Once again, fall-related violations were behind most of the biggest fines OSHA issued to construction companies in the second quarter of 2019. One of the contractors, Shawn D. Purvis, has been charged criminally in relation to a death that occurred on one of his company's jobsites.

Multiple hazards at Ohio workplace: OSHA issued 23 citations and $183,738 in penalties to Ohio Gratings, Inc., for inadequate machine guarding and recordkeeping, failing to ensure that workers used personal protective equipment, and exposing workers to struck-by hazards and flammable liquids.

A Long Island, New York construction company faces nearly a quarter of a million dollars in penalties in the death of an employee who was killed when a building he was working on collapsed. OSHA issued willful and serious citations against Northridge Construction Corp., with proposed fines of $224,620.

OSHA inspected the company in December 2018 after an employee was electrocuted while using a damaged portable lamp when cleaning the inside of a metal tank. A second employee suffered electrical shock injuries in an attempt to assist the injured co-worker. Inspectors determined that the lamp's cord had exposed bare conductors, and the lamp was unsuitable for use in wet locations. They also found a damaged extension cord used to connect the lamp to power.

OSHA has cited Woodgrain Millwork Co. – operating as Woodgrain Distribution Inc. – for exposing employees to chemical and struck-by hazards at the company’s distribution facility in Lawrenceville, Georgia. The company faces $125,466 in penalties. The agency cited the wood molding, window, and door distributor for failing to provide employees with eye, face, and hand protection to prevent exposure to chemical injuries, and provide a functioning eyewash station for employees handling corrosive chemicals.

OSHA has cited the Jacksonville Zoo in Florida for an incident earlier this year in which a zookeeper was seriously injured by a rhinoceros. News reports say Archie, a 50-year-old male Southern white rhinoceros, struck the zookeeper with his horn. She was treated for her injuries at a local hospital and released after several days.

California OSHA issued four citations and $68,438 in penalties to USF Reddaway Inc. after a worker was fatally struck by a tractor at a truck terminal. Inspectors found that the company failed to ensure operators were competent to operate terminal tractors and did not implement traffic controls. Visit OSHA's website for information on trucking industry safety.

OSHA has cited Southern Tire Mart LLC – based in Columbia, Mississippi – for failing to protect employees from serious safety hazards after a worker suffered fatal injuries while attempting to mount a monster truck tire rim at the company’s retreading facility in Fort Worth, Texas. The company faces $341,195 in fines.