worker safety News

Cal/OSHA Cites Equipment Company, Refers Contractor for Prosecution in Confined Space Deaths

The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health cited Meeder Equipment Co. of Rancho Cucamonga and referred D&D Construction Specialties Inc. of Sun Valley for criminal prosecution in two separate cases of workers’ deaths related to confined spaces. Meeder and …

Cal/OSHA Cites Company $838K for Exposing Employees to Toxic Chemical

Cal/OSHA issued 18 citations to Parter Medical Products Inc. for reportedly failing to protect its employees from overexposure to ethylene oxide, a toxic chemical. The penalties total $838,800. Six of the citations were for willful-serious violations. A willful violation is …

Nebraska Company Fined $531K After Worker Engulfed in Corn Silo

A 34-year-old worker’s attempt to clean out a Roseland grain silo, in preparation for fall harvest, turned tragic on Sept. 12, 2022, when corn engulfed and asphyxiated him. An investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health …

Appeals Board in California Defines How Close Water Must be for Workers

The California Department of Industrial Relations’ Occupational Safety and Health Appeals Board issued a precedential decision related to the provision of water at outdoor worksites, which required water must be as close as practicable to the areas where employees are …

Washington Contractor Fined $400K for Repeat Fall Protection Violations

The owner of a Washington state framing company is facing nearly $400,000 in fines for allegedly allowing crew members to work high above the ground without fall protection, according to the state Department of Labor and Industries. Genesis Framing Construction …

Oregon OSHA Fines Mattress Retailer for Exposing Workers to Vehicle Safety Hazards

Oregon OSHA fined Mattress Megastore in Hillsboro more than $66,000 for multiple workplace safety violations, including willfully exposing employees to serious injury or death from potential traffic accidents. The penalties followed an inspection launched by the division in response to …

Report: It Takes 7 Years to Close Most California Workers’ Comp Claims

It takes seven years to close the vast majority of workers’ compensation claims in California, more than double the time in the median state. The Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California released a report detailing duration drivers for California …

Washington Roofers Face $1 Million-Plus in Fines for Reported Safety Violations

Two Washington roofing companies that landed on the Department of Labor & Industries’ severe violators list face large fines for reportedly allowing roofers to work on top of homes without using fall protection, among other alleged safety violations. L&I has …

Oregon Hospital Issued Workplace Safety Fines

The Oregon State Hospital is facing a $54,000 fine for failing to investigate workplace injuries. The citation, brought by the state’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration, alleges that from January 2021 to June 2022 the hospital didn’t investigate every time …

California Lawmakers Pass Landmark Fast Food Workers Bill

California lawmakers this week approved a nation-leading measure that would give more than a half-million fast food workers more power and protections, over the objections of restaurant owners who warn it would drive up consumers’ costs. The bill will create …