worker safety News

Judge Refuses to Dismiss Nuclear Plant Lawsuit in Washington

A federal judge has rejected the U.S. Department of Energy’s motion to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Washington state over worker safety issues at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation. U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Rice rejected an Energy Department argument that …

Owner of Washington Asbestos Company Pleads Guilty to Bogus Certifications

The owner of a company that provided federally mandated training for construction firms that work with asbestos has pleaded guilty to giving certifications to people he knew had not taken his course. U.S. Attorney Annette Hayes says Isaac Cole owned …

State Taking Steps to Protect Washington Nuclear Site Workers

Washington state asked a federal judge this week to issue an injunction requiring the U.S. Department of Energy and its contractor to take steps to protect workers at a major nuclear waste storage site. Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson …

Oregon’s SAIF Announces $140M in Dividends to Workers’ Comp Policyholders

The Oregon SAIF board of directors has decided to give workers’ compensation policyholders two dividends this year totaling $140 million. One dividend is based on premium, and the another is tied to safety performance. The board declared a $120 million …

Workplace Deaths on Rise in Missouri

Missouri has seen an increase in the number of workers killed while on the job, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Agency officials said 24 workplace deaths have been reported since October. The agency’s acting area director Todd …

Homes Evacuated, 7 Workers Treated After Chemical Interaction at North Carolina Plant

Authorities in North Carolina say seven workers were treated at a hospital for minor injuries and several nearby homes were evacuated as a precaution after cleaning chemicals interacted at a meat packing plant in the community of Tar Heel south …

Tennessee OSHA Head Says Spike in State Worker Deaths ‘Alarming’

The head of the Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration says a spike in on-the-job fatalities last month is “alarming.” TOSHA administrator Steve Hawkins tells WPLN-FM four of the 10 deaths in July were on construction sites. Most of the …

OSHA Launches Expedited Whistleblower Review Pilot in Western Region

The U.S. Department of Labor is launching a pilot process in its Western region called the “Expedited Case Processing Pilot,” which enables a complainant covered by certain statutes to ask the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to cease its investigation …

Investigation Faults Tesoro in Worker Injuries at California Refinery

The U.S. Chemical Safety Board said on Tuesday workers were injured in incidents between 2010 and 2014 at Tesoro Corp.’s San Francisco Bay-area refinery in Martinez, California because of a weak safety culture the company permitted to exist. “The safety …

Meeting of 2 Minds on Worker Safety as Path to Profit

Adam Friedlander is a third generation insurance professional who has made his mark in safety, workplace safety that is. His New York agency, Friedlander Group, has for years developed and managed employer safety groups that have helped businesses improve workplace …