Safety/Health

Beware firing safety whistleblowers

01/02/2018

The Trump administration’s Department of Labor is aggressively going after employers that fire workers who report alleged workplace safety violations. It’s one reason to seek expert legal advice before disciplining any potential whistleblower—even for behavior or poor work performance that seems unrelated to any safety report.

Trade Fair Supermarkets owe $500k for safety violations

12/13/2017

OSHA is proposing a $505,929 fine against Trade Fair Supermarkets after investigators discovered workers had been exposed to health and safety hazards at three grocery stores in Queens.

Acme Parts agrees to get the lead out in Brooklyn

12/13/2017

Acme Parts, a Brooklyn company that manufactures brass products, has agreed to pay $40,000 in penalties after a 2016 OSHA inspection revealed high levels of lead throughout the facility.

A matter of balance: Medical marijuana, the ADA and drug testing

12/04/2017

In Pennsylvania, case law says employers should balance an employee’s privacy interests against the need for random drug testing.

Jersey contractor cited for Philly scaffold hazards

12/04/2017

Federal OSHA investigators have issued citations totaling $191,215 in proposed penalties to DH Construction for violations discovered at a Philadelphia job site.

OSHA electronic reporting delayed

11/28/2017

E-reporting for organizations with 250 or more employees was to have begun Dec. 1, but the compliance deadline has been pushed back to Dec. 15.

$1.8 million fine for fatal explosion

11/21/2017

OSHA has proposed $1,837,861 in fines against a Wisconsin corn mill following a May 31, 2017, explosion that killed five workers and injured 12 others.

Syracuse firm agrees to OSHA hazardous waste settlement

11/15/2017

OSHA inspectors were called in when employees at TOMRA NY Recycling in Syracuse reported being exposed to blood and other infectious materials as they sorted bottles and cans.

Not every ‘safety’ fear amounts to whistleblowing

10/30/2017

In Pennsylvania, workers are protected for whistleblowing. However, the law has specific requirements. For example, the worker’s complaint must be “objectively reasonable” and not merely a complaint about some perceived safety issue.

A heart-smart strategy: The legal ABCs of AEDs

10/19/2017

The American Heart Association estimates there will be 350,000 sudden cardiac arrests this year, but automated external defibrillators could save 50,000 lives.