An Oregon construction company is reeling from its first workplace death since its founding in 1939 – and the victim’s family is reeling from the man’s loss. News sources say Stephen Smith, a truck driver employed by Hamilton Construction Company, was killed in an incident Saturday at the Beltline/Delta Highway interchange.

The agency cited owner Shawn Purvis of Purvis Home Improvement Company, Inc. for 17 willful and serious safety violations, including failure to provide fall protection training and exposure to electrocution. Portland, Maine's grand jury also indicted Purvis on April 5, 2019 for manslaughter and workplace manslaughter. If convicted, he will face an additional $50,000 fine and 30 years in prison.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit has found a Jacksonville, Florida-based roofing contractor in contempt of court for failing to pay $2,202,049 in penalties assessed by OSHA for safety and health violations at worksites in Florida. The Department of Labor filed a petition with the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals for summary enforcement against Great White Construction Inc., Florida Roofing Experts Inc. and owner Travis Slaughter.

Safety success at one manufacturing facility, a city sued after a construction incident and a closer look at the impact of industrial exoskeletons on workers were among the top stories featured on ISHN.com this week.

Whether they’re scissor lifts, boom lifts or some other kind of powered, mobile platform used to elevate workers to various heights, aerial lifts are very useful – and potentially dangerous. Aerial lifts can be found at construction and telecommunications job sites and in warehouses. They’re used for everything from painting, drywall installation, maintenance, moving materials – even changing lightbulbs.

After being notified by concerned neighbors living near several construction projects, the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries investigated – and found multiple worker safety violations at three different worksites involving Allways Roofing.

The South Dakota Supreme Court yesterday began hearing arguments in a lawsuit filed against the city of Sioux Falls in the case of a 2016 building collapse that killed a worker and seriously injured another person. The suit was brought by the family of Emily Fodness, who was trapped in debris for several hours when a building being remodeled by Hultgren Construction, LLC collapsed. Construction worker Ethan McMahon died in the incident.

A quick online search of hearing protection/headphones using the term, “OSHA-compliant” invariably returns a list of various devices offering different features, such as: OSHA-compliant Bluetooth Hearing Protection; OSHA-compliant Professional Hearing Protection; OSHA-compliant Wireless Noise Reduction In-Ear Headphones; OSHA-compliant Noise Isolating Earbuds. The problem?

In Wichita, Kansas, a 25-year-old worker performing cell tower maintenance was killed when he fell 50 feet. In Louise, Mississippi, a worker installing microwave dishes on a cell tower was killed when he fell 125 feet. The worker, who was not using a double lanyard, fell after disconnecting his positioning lanyard to reposition himself. In Coats, NC, a worker performing installation services for Sprint died from a fall.

Late-December workplace incidents in coal mining and construction left three workers dead and their families devastated. In West Virginia, 21-year-old Raymond L. Starkey was fatally injured Dec. 23 while helping to repair a beltline at Murray Energy’s Marshall County Coal Co. Mine near Cameron. The incident is being investigated by the Mine Safety and Health Administration, the West Virginia Office of Miners’ Health, Safety and Training, United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) safety experts and Murray Energy.