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Safety/Health

Stink in Clifton leads OSHA to violations jackpot

08/23/2011
What began as an investigation into a foul odor recently turned into something far worse for Safas Corporation, a Clifton company that makes kitchen countertops. OSHA found $135,000 worth of willful and serious violations. None had anything to do with the original stench.

OSHA may require you to record ergonomic injuries

08/12/2011

OSHA recently reintroduced the idea of a proposed rule that would require employers to report work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs)—ergonomic injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome—on their OSHA 300 injury and illness logs.

Troy factory faces citations, fines following accident

08/08/2011

West Troy Tool & Machine must respond to OSHA charges or pay $250,000 in fines, following a May workplace accident where a worker suffered crushing injuries. OSHA issued a citation for 11 serious safety violations at the plant.

How to prevent workplace violence–and manage legal liability

07/26/2011
According to the latest numbers from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 12% of assailants in fatal workplace shootings are co-workers or former co-workers. Sadly, violence can strike any workplace. That’s why it’s so important to be able to recognize the signs of potential trouble and have protocols in place to prevent a poten­tially tragic situation. That’s often easier said than done.

OSHA cites Troy Chemical after Newark accident

07/26/2011
OSHA has issued 11 serious safety citations to Troy Chemical Corp. arising from a chemical spill at the company’s Newark facility. OSHA fines will amount to $62,100.

Use your Internet policy to justify terminating potentially dangerous employee

07/26/2011
Employers that want to maintain a productive workplace are smart to set limits on the websites employees can visit. Consider the following case, in which an employer was able to use its Internet policy to terminate an e­mployee whom co-workers and super­visors feared might do them harm.

The 5 steps you must take to prevent workplace violence

07/25/2011

There’s never been a better time to implement a violence prevention plan. Tough economic times sometimes cause people to snap—and they might do so at work. You need a prevention program that starts with employee screening and ends with publicizing your tough anti-violence policy.

Lorain steel company faces $563,000 in OSHA penalties

06/30/2011

Steel manufacturer Republic Engineered Products must answer to OSHA for seven allegedly willful violations and three alleged repeat safety violations at its Lorain plant. OSHA has proposed penalties total­ing $563,000.

Cal/OSHA puts heat on contractor after flash fire injures welder

06/16/2011
The California Division of Occu­pa­tional Safety and Health has fined a public works contractor more than $235,000—and threatened to put it out of business and criminally prosecute executives—after a welder suffered severe burns in a workplace flash fire.

Owner, foreman get jail time for worker’s fatal plummet

06/16/2011
A California court has sentenced a company owner and a foreman to a year in jail for allowing unsafe working conditions that led to a roofer’s accidental death.