Monday, December 8, 2014

November 2014 OSHA News



This month’s draft powerpoint is the OSHA’s new rule on reporting that
takes effect January 1, 2015. I was fortunate to give a speech to the
IL-IA Building trades and had a great interactive session. This is one
hot topic. I am reminding people that they want to submit a good
incident investigation to avoid being selected by OSHA for an
inspection.

http://www.slideshare.net/johnanewquist/osha-update-illinois-iowa-contractors

This year, I am tracking the Illinois worker fatalities. I can find 60
for 2014.

It was another record month of training 248 people trained. My
original goal for 2014 is 2500 people trained. I am up to 2017 people
trained total. I think I will slow it down in December as I want to
get many of my presentations updated.

Waubonsee is having a free panel discussion on Temp Workers that is
free. Jacob Scott Area Director of the Aurora OSHA office and myself
are speaking. Thursdays December 17th.9-1030pm. Waubonsee Aurora
Campus, 18 S River. Room 160, Call Barb Dimonte at (630) 906-4180 to
learn more. bdimonte@waubonsee.edu

Here is the news for November 2014

1) A U.S. Marshall has taken an Illinois business owner into custody
after the employer failed to correct serious trenching hazards and pay
OSHA penalties. On Oct. 27, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals
granted a motion filed by Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez against
the owner of Mike Neri Sewer & Water Contractor Inc., based in Elk
Grove Village, Ill. This action followed the owner's long history of
failing to comply with OSHA standards and orders of the independent
Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. (from DOL
newsletter)

In October 2013, the Court issued an enforcement order against Neri
and when he failed to comply, the Court held Neri in contempt in July
2014 and threatened him with possible incarceration. Last week, after
receiving no response from Neri, the Court granted the Secretary's
motion to proceed with coercive actions, ordering the U.S. Marshal to
place Neri in the custody of the Attorney General. Neri will remain in
custody until a District or Magistrate Judge certifies to the Court
that he has either fully complied with the Court's enforcement order
or has demonstrated he is unable to comply. (FROM DOL November 3,
2014)

2) Here are safety programs on nearly every subject. This is from
North Carolina OSHA. Free Download.

http://www.nclabor.com/osha/etta/exampleprograms/example_programs.htm

3) "People would say, 'Are you from OSHA?' They would say, 'Yes, we
are from OSHA,'" the insider told Local 10.

Telemarketers who work for Federal Safety Compliance, and Federal
Compliance Publications sell federal documents they call an "OHSA kit"
for $298.50. The Better Business Bureau is not a government agency.
All the OSHA forms are free.

http://www.local10.com/news/fla-attorney-generals-office-reopens-investigation-into-hollywood-call-center/29661666

4) 29 deaths in Upper Big Branch mine under his watch. Ex CEO is indicted.

http://www.wvgazette.com/article/20141113/GZ01/141119629/1104

5) Oregon OSHA adopts rules for confined space in construction.

http://www.orosha.org/admin/newsrelease/2014/nr2014_18.html#.VGVhlmN0yUk

6) Worker survives 11 story fall.

http://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Worker-plunges-from-downtown-San-Francisco-5909289.php#/0

7) Four workers die at Dupont plant in La Porte TX.

http://www.chron.com/news/texas/article/4-workers-killed-after-Houston-area-chemical-leak-5895906.php

8) One of the best successes that I have seen for construction is the
145 hour class offered by the Construction Safety Council. It starts
December 2 and many go on to get the CHST certification.

http://toolboxtalks.coffeecup.com/CSCNEWS/145-2015.pdf

9) West Bend Mutual has several good technical bulletin on industrial safety.

http://www.thesilverlining.com/safety-resources/technical-bulletins

10) Martin Romano of Victor MT, pleaded guilty Tuesday to federal
misdemeanor violations during a hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge
Jeremiah Lynch in Missoula. One count of causing the death of a worker
by violating a safety standard. In addition, the company, “Mr. Asphalt
Inc”. of Corvallis MT, entered a guilty plea to the same violation of
29 U.S.C. 666(e), Violation of Safety Standard Causing Death of an
Employee.

Romano and his company were charged after 54-year-old William Irby Jr.
or Corvallis slipped off an oil tank while taking measurements and
fell 15 feet, hitting his head on a concrete pad.


OSHA Citations in November

Penalty State Major Issues Business
1) $100,560 PA Fall scaffold, Mason contractor

2) $46,400 IL Combustible Dust, Corn starch mfg

3) $71,069 FL Willful Ladderjack scaffold, siding contractor

4) $47,600 AR Repeat ice and slip hazards. Frozen food storage

5) $78,500 AR Repeat machine guarding, Packaging company

6) $81,900 WI Willful GHS fatality, Aluminum Sand Casting mfr.

7) $46,200 TX Machine Guarding, Electrical, Oil Driller

8) $49,000 OH Machine guarding fatality, Rolling milling

9) $47,600 TX Struck by, electrical, machine guarding, Aluminum refinery

10) $49,000 WI GHS, Plastic mfr

11) $77,000 OH Fall, machine guarding, Steel Mill

12) $58,520 TX Repeat Respirators, falls, Tuckpointer

13) $342,250 GA Falls, Repeat, Machine guarding, Auto part mfr, Temp agency

14) $41,380 NJ Repeat lockout, Die cutting mfr

15) $51,700 MS Repeat, Fire exits, Retailer.

16) $101,000 VA Falls, Machine guarding, Shipyard

17) $53,000 GA Lockout, machine guarding, arc flash, Auto parts company

18) $41,500 AL Falls, compressed gas, Shipyard

19) $59,290 CT Combustible dust, Titanium Machine shop

20) $330,800 MA Repeat, roof leaks, falls, electrical, Freight Shipping

21) $106,000 CA Willful fatal suspended personnel platform. Pile Driving company


Large Work Payouts

1) Fall on sidewalk results in $2.25 Million

http://nypost.com/2014/11/30/nyc-forks-over-706m-in-under-2-years-to-settle-legal-claims/

2) A federal jury in San Diego imposed a punitive damages award of
$185 million against AutoZone in a case alleging pregnancy
discrimination and retaliatory discharge.

http://www.mondaq.com/unitedstates/x/355474/trials+appeals+compensation/Jury+Imposes+185+Million+Punitive+Award+Against+AutoZone+In+Individual+Pregnancy+Discrimination+Case



Major New Stories


1) Massive drill nearly misses packed subway in New York.

http://mashable.com/2014/10/31/drill-subway/?utm_cid=mash-com-fb-main-link&utm_content=9411162&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter

2) Two Tree Trimmers electrocuted in FL in September. I had missed
this. This is the 33rd multiple death in 2014.

http://www.wtsp.com/story/news/local/2014/09/07/2-electrocuted-trimming-trees-florida/15241031/

3) Falling tape measure kills worker at NJ site.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/04/nyregion/falling-tape-measure-kills-man-at-jersey-city-construction-site.html?smid=fb-nytimes&smtyp=geo&bicmp=AD&bicmlukp=WT.mc_id&bicmst=1409232722000&bicmet=1419773522000&_r=1

4) Four dead in TX Pesticide incident. A valve somehow failed on a
container of methyl mercaptan, a chemical used to make insecticide,
around 4 a.m. Five workers had already been exposed to the gas, four
of whom died inside the unit. This is the 34th multiple death in 2014.

http://www.cbs19.tv/story/27395559/4-workers-die-1-hurt-in-texas-chemical-plant-leak#.VGgCkuBPpqp.facebook



2014 Safety Training at Non-Profits


CSC 10 Hour for Construction Dec 2-3, 2014

CSC 30 Hour construction Dec 4, 6, 9 11, 2014

CSC OSHA 500 upon request

CSC Excavation Safety upon request

TRMA Scaffold Safety Dec 16

CSC Incident Investigation/ Dec 16

OSHA recordkeeping Dec 16

CSC Confined Space upon request

CSC Scaffold Safety Dec 4

CSC Crane Signal and Rigging upon request



NIU is Northern Illinois University OSHA Education Center
http://www.nsec.niu.edu/nsec/

CSC is the Construction Safety Council in Hillside. Www.Buildsafe.org

WDCC is the Western Dupage Chamber of Commerce
http://www.westerndupagechamber.com/

TRMA is Three Rivers Manufacturers Association www.trma.org



I usually teach only part of the 30 hour and the 500 series.