News
During a subcommittee hearing last week, OSHA administrator David Michaels pushed for increased agency funding and updated safety laws, and he defended recent regulatory activities.
OSHA again delays full enforcement of its Confined Spaces in Construction Standard.
In the wake of Hurricane Joaquin, OSHA offers storm cleanup advice to keep workers safe.
The Department of Labor Office of Inspector General’s audit plan for fiscal year 2016 includes potential reviews of OSHA’s rulemaking process and its abatement verification procedure.
OSHA’s final rule that would require electronic recordkeeping is under White House review.
More can be done to strengthen whistleblower protections, OIG tells OSHA.
Notable proposed fines
$420,000 to a general contractor and a subcontractor for excavation violations related to a trench collapse that killed a worker at a New York construction site
$147,000 to an excavating company in Pennsylvania for trenching violations following a trench collapse
$84,600 to a New York-based general contractor for fall protection violations related to the death of a worker who fell six stories
$84,000 to a Louisiana bag manufacturer for guarding and lockout/tagout violations in connection with a printing press operator’s finger amputation
$66,000 to a retail store in Massachusetts after an employee was hospitalized after being struck by falling boxes piled high in a stockroom
$51,000 to a rubber mat manufacturer in Georgia for electrical and guarding violations after an employee’s hand was injected with fluid during machine maintenance
$42,000 to a Pennsylvania manufacturer in connection with a furnace explosion that killed one worker and injured three others
$15,300 to a Nebraskan brick maker for guarding violations related to the death of a worker crushed by a brick setting machine
$6,552 to a West Virginia roofing contractor for allegedly exposing employees to heat stress conditions following the hospitalization of one worker due to excessive heat exposure
Happening this week
Oct. 16 – National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health’s Temporary Workers Work Group meeting
Review Counter
Below is a count of how many days recent OSHA proposals have been under review, as of Oct. 12:
| # of Days | OSHA Proposal |
| 102 | Walking/Working Surfaces and Personal Fall Protection Systems (final rule) |
| 7 | Improve Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses (final rule) |
The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs – part of the White House’s Office of Management and Budget – reviews proposed regulations. The process is required for most rules before they can move forward, and typically takes 90 days.
The opinions expressed in "On Safety" do not necessarily reflect those of the National Safety Council or affiliated local Chapters.