October 2019 OSHA News

OSHA News for October 2019

October was a fast month. We had 3 inches of snow on Halloween. It is never too late to teach workers safety in winter and walking on ice.

I did some rare audits outside the Chicagoland areas. People like getting benchmark scores for safety. I think many consultants are like OSHA and only find a few items. They make many clients happy but gives an illusion of safety. I pass out the audit in the OSHA 511 class to help new safety professionals benchmark themselves. I like watching the scores improve in time and some become VPP or world-class.

I am working on the NIU machine guarding grant. If you know of a pasta company, offset printer, or meat processor that would be open to discussion injuries and prevention, I would be glad to do a free visit. We are try to show solutions for guarding.

This month ppt is on Mercury. I remember buying mercury from Acme Chemical when younger. No warnings. Just a plastic blue bottle and white cap. My fifth-grade teacher said it was poisonous and told me to wash my hands. I never brought it back. 

John

OSHA News. 

1) The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) today issued a Request for Information as the agency considers a new model to administer online classes for the Outreach Training Program.

 OSHA is requesting information and comment: modifying the current model for online delivery of Outreach training, scope of online offerings, roles and responsibilities, validating online curriculum and training content, ensuring program management and strengthening program oversite.

OSHA seeking comments through Dec. 9

Comments must be submitted on or before 60 days after publication in the Federal Register.  Comments and materials may be submitted electronically at http://www.regulations.gov, the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal, or by facsimile or mail. See the Federal Register notice http://www.federalregister.gov, for submission details.

2)  Amanda Wood Laihow to be a member of the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission for a six-year term expiring April 27, 2023.

Laihow currently serves as the chief counsel to OSHRC Chairman James J. Sullivan Jr., who is currently the only member of the three-member panel.

Former chair Heather MacDougall left the commission in March to become Amazon.com Inc.’s vice president of worldwide employee health and safety.

Previously, Laihow was the director of labor and employment policy for the National Association of Manufacturers. She also served as deputy general counsel for the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and as assistant general counsel at the General Services Administration.

Laihow earned her law degree from the University of Maine School of Law and her bachelor’s in political science from the University of New Hampshire. She lives in Arlington, Va., with her husband and two daughters.

3) 340,022 students took online OSHA courses in FY 2018

4) The President has nominated Cynthia L. Attwood to serve a third term on the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. Her previous term on the three-member panel expired April 27, 2019.

5) The U.S. Department of Labor has issued nearly $1.6 million in penalties to a company whose Waukegan plant exploded in May, killing four employees.

The department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited AB Specialty Silicones LLC for 12 willful federal safety violations in the fire and explosion occurring May 3, according to a news release.

https://chicago.cbslocal.com/2019/10/25/u-s-dept-of-labor-issues-1-6-million-penalties-for-waukegan-plant-explosion/

6) Trench Contractor going to jail for killing two workers.

"The deaths of these two men could have and should have been prevented," Galen Blanton, the New England regional administrator for OSHA, said. "Their employer, which previously had been cited by OSHA for the same hazardous conditions, knew what safeguards were needed to protect its employees but chose to ignore that responsibility."

https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/Atlantic-Drain-Owner-Convicted-for-Trench-Collapse-that-Killed-2-564165701.html

7) Dollar Tree blocks more exits. This in MA. CEO Gary Philbin has never commented on safety. Just increasing shareholder value. OSHA needs to subpoena him and ask how Dollar tree had four blocked exit WIllful citations in four months. This worked when I was with OSHA and a Billion dollar CEO had two explain how you do 1.7 billion in revenue and only had one safety person.

https://news.bloombergenvironment.com/safety/dollar-tree-fined-nearly-460-000-for-egress-storage-hazards?fbclid=IwAR0IEfjTpp755MbIP9OT16iWOeIv-uj5bHYnOEYFiKGT_KhyG-OZRCLk3NU

Georgia https://allongeorgia.com/georgia-business/ga-dollar-tree-faces-125k-in-penalties-for-osha-violations/?fbclid=IwAR2VGewm0dIL-0Swt73rIEOLZVKcP8FDB08MnFXH5jZ0Wz_CUN8lq9d3yCs

New York. - https://www.mytwintiers.com/local-news-3/local-dollar-tree-cited-for-osha-violations/?fbclid=IwAR1fA7B9X9OPbbwWFvG0jq1ZlRvJgbtmB9qxNkCpvEPmXnKZ7PeimWytpew

8) Op-ed OSHA’s on the case in N.J., but is it effective?

The penalties stem in part from a gory incident four years ago, when a worker lost two fingers in a machine that presented significant safety hazards. According to a press release from OSHA’s Evesham Township office, the machine wasn’t fixed during a follow-up visit in 2017 and, in an April 2019 inspection, Aruvil still was not in compliance. During the 2019 visit, inspectors allegedly found several violations, including four that they termed as “willful.”

The NJ website failed to mention that the employer contested in court and eventually had to guard the machines. But he did not develop lockout programs.

How hard is it for a paper to call the employer and ask why he cannot spend an hour and write some procedures and install light curtains. Below is a weaving machine with light curtains. I show students in the classes all the time how to comply. Most can write procedures in 15 minutes

Citations for lockout, lighting and machine guarding.

https://www.osha.gov/…/citat…/AruvilInternational1393384.pdf

https://www.nj.com/opinion/2019/10/oshas-on-the-case-in-nj-but-is-it-effective-editorial.html?fbclid=IwAR04kmisspahsSvGU1EQYWaTxkdxJfH-vJJ-4ajYIzk9EfcGaAfsc8fXG0w

9) OSHA ends with 752 inspectors in the field.

https://news.bloombergenvironment.com/safety/federal-workplace-safety-inspector-numbers-stay-flat-in-fy-2019?fbclid=IwAR2WmmwAZtMQ3rQ7vV9cWE3ClLJNgTVNv5HivpHaOr95aR35QSiRAtFc-QY

10) 10 easy ways to get your safety program started

https://www.osha.gov/shpguidelines/ten-easy-things.html?fbclid=IwAR2T9dv0C_1mJKL9tdY_JMjgdkA8slYb4HvI4qso3S_JFrN0xFsrGWZRpSE

Other Major News Stories.

1) How Do Police Officers Determine Marijuana Impairment in Drivers?

https://reason.org/commentary/how-do-police-officers-determine-marijuana-impairment-in-drivers/

2) Kiewit and supervisors to face trial for worker death in Canada.

https://canada.constructconnect.com/joc/news/ohs/2019/11/kiewit-and-supervisors-to-face-trial-for-worker-death?fbclid=IwAR3hzkDj2_oe3V1yPkmEpZv8nZH238C2lmv7NaOq9TLhwa791VnD9oxmD4k#.Xb2q3uchsFw.facebook

3) $300 guardrails would have saved her life.

Pennsdale, Pa. – A wholesale meat processing facility in Lycoming County has received penalties of $49,062 for OSHA violations found after an employee died last April when she fell or was pulled into a commercial meat grinder.

What a horrible death.

Two violations listed in the OSHA report were related to the April 22 incident. The report mentioned the mixer/grinder was operated with the lid open, which exposed the operator to the rotating mixer paddles. The lid of the grinder also had a 10-by-24-inch opening that exposed employees to hazards, according to the report.

https://www.northcentralpa.com/business/meat-processing-plant-penalized-by-osha-for-in-relation-to/article_4e89edca-f697-11e9-be0e-4785edf631ce.html?fbclid=IwAR2taAqheyva8BAeIMb6eU0T8Nqz2AMzM1OpyCf0_ddyovVB3MTPztTREJo

4) Odessa Tx. A $600 gas detector installed would have saved husband and wife.

ODESSA, Texas — A 44-year-old Texas oil company worker died after being overcome by poisonous gas at a pump house, and his 37-year-old wife also was killed by the fumes when she went to check on him.

The Ector County Sheriff's Office says Jacob and Natalee Dean died Saturday night after inhaling hydrogen sulfide gas at an Aghorn Energy pump house in Odessa. Deputies say the company dispatched the husband to check on the facility. When he didn't return as expected, his wife tried to reach him by phone but got no answer.

She drove with their two children, ages 6 and 9, to the pump house and was overcome by the colorless, highly corrosive gas when she entered the building. The children were left in the car and weren't harmed.

https://cbsaustin.com/news/local/west-texas-man-killed-by-poisonous-gas-wife-dies-checking-on-him?fbclid=IwAR3jNg1w4uYs8IR5NhXqD9POAgTeSwbi-vMCzUK2eBtUE0EW2zicC3B-CJU

5) Moorseville IN. A $10 lock, training, and procedures would have saved him. A 22-year-old worker died Tuesday morning as a result of an accident at the PacMoore Process Technologies plant.

The victim, identified as Sean Merrell of Mooresville, died of blunt force trauma to the head, chest, and abdomen after being trapped in a machine he was cleaning, according to the coroner's office. The machine restarted while Merrell was still in it.

99% of the cleaners are not given locks in my experience.

https://www.powderbulksolids.com/news/Worker-Dies-in-Food-Processing-Plant-Accident-10-28-2019?fbclid=IwAR1KT_6J6l_HHhvdpS8nyZlSFYaDTy7uPF7nA-GN6gMd96zL27V5U34IQT4

6) Film crew member falls to his death at Starved Rock Park in IL.

https://chicago.suntimes.com/platform/amp/news/2019/10/19/20922359/person-falls-starved-rock-state-park?__twitter_impression=true&fbclid=IwAR28KaMqftmLLBH_Dsnpk_kfmeQmB-5tw-7Jxk3L-rsWu2qQ6zM1m4FGIhk

7) Four dead in hot tub due to Legionnaires

https://people.com/health/4-people-now-dead-from-legionnaires-outbreak-linked-to-hot-tub-display-at-a-state-fair/?fbclid=IwAR0VKa_aSdgAM8dxLuafSP8WSS7GjjXvlndC5c4O1o5v53gWL2JqLOGkXSQ

8) Two workers died in one week at the Hanford site.

https://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/local/hanford/article236333933.html?fbclid=IwAR3yhxJpl1j_fvEeAUHE4-yvFdiazcamBoSjBvBp5fj5Lf-mjftVfj9Z9J8

9) Hard Rock hotel collapses. 3 dead.

https://www.wwltv.com/article/news/local/orleans/hard-rock-hotel-collapses-on-canal-street/289-930d2437-69fa-4993-a41e-0bd480274f44?fbclid=IwAR0zsC-eL3fX2MogGxWsvjcrcjFbXXY-rJOkfenp8a7T3ZBMPMLUfSpltxc

10) BP contract worker died from a fall at the Indiana refinery.

All falls are preventable.

https://www.nwitimes.com/business/local/construction-worker-dies-in-accident-at-bp-whiting-refinery/article_79ce0dd7-6498-5640-86ee-ca42a5ab3a2d.amp.html?__twitter_impression=true&fbclid=IwAR3C6I3W10Lw4fCW6-wgC2RkEkYeC5K-6_9PeBapW5VSaZshEBBsgPsKPs0

Safety Training at Non-Profits

OSHA 511 Chicago Downtown                                               Nov 4-7

OSHA 7500 Safety Mgt Dekalb                                               Nov 14

OSHA 7845 Recordkeeping Dekalb                                       Nov 18

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

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

TRMA is Three Rivers Manufacturers Association   www.trma.org

NSC is National Safety Council http://www.nsec.niu.edu/nsec/

I usually teach only part of the 30 hour and the 500 series. I have been teaching many 10/30 hour class for private companies.  I have taught 1874 people this year. I teach evenings, weekends, early mornings too. I teach in Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, and Indiana.   

All presentations are put on slideshare.net for free downloading. I put this presentation at this link. https://www.slideshare.net/JohnNewquist/mad-hatter-disease 

I use your feedback to make changes to make corrections.

OSHA Citations

OH         1392239.015      Envelope 1, Inc. COLUMBIANA   09/27/2019              $55,427.00         [no violations linked]

OH         1407843.015      Envelope 1, Inc. COLUMBIANA   09/27/2019              $132,598.00       [no violations linked]

MO        1393573.015      Kerry, Inc.           GREENVILLE       09/26/2019              $223,525.00       [no violations linked]

NM        1391330.015      Santa Fe, City of              SANTA FE              09/26/2019        $183,375.00       [no violations linked]

HI          1419141.015      AOUO Symphony Honolulu         HONOLULU              09/25/2019        $106,080.00       [no violations linked]

NJ          1392221.015      Rich Products Corporation          VINELAND              09/25/2019        $291,735.00       [no violations linked]

NJ          1392282.015      Rich Products Corporation          VINELAND              09/25/2019        $79,184.00         [no violations linked]

NY         1389876.015      Dollar Tree Stores, Inc.  ELMIRA 09/25/2019              $208,368.00       [no violations linked]

OH         1416092.015      Ferry Industries, Inc.      STOW   09/24/2019              $41,106.00         [no violations linked]

TX          1393309.015      BMC - Building Materials & Construction Solutions              EL PASO              09/24/2019        $47,926.00         [no violations linked]

KY          1393443.015      Phillips Brothers Construction, LLC           FORT KNOX    09/23/2019        $102,856.00       [no violations linked]

OH         1428741.015      Diamond Products, Limited         ELYRIA              09/23/2019        $49,252.00         [no violations linked]

NH         1409425.015      Chinburg Builders, Inc.   SOMERSWORTH              09/20/2019        $78,766.00         Lead, Respiratory protection, Respirable crystalline silica

VA         1409078.015      Yokohama Tire Manufacturing Virginia, LLC              SALEM  09/20/2019        $41,976.00         [no violations linked]

IA           1388268.015      Hull Trailers, Inc.             BRADDYVILLE              09/19/2019        $45,065.00         [no violations linked]

OH         1430266.015      Trademark Exteriors, LLC             HUDSON              09/19/2019        $55,692.00         [no violations linked]

GA         1396199.015      Parts Authority Georgia, LLC       NORCROSS              09/18/2019        $108,356.00       PPE Hazard Assessment, Foot protection, Respiratory protection, Stable and secure storage of material, Lead, Labeling of hazardous chemicals, Eye wash stations, Forms

NJ          1387011.015      Amerinox Processing, Inc.           CAMDEN              09/16/2019        $43,299.00         Walking-working surfaces (access and egress), Protection from fall hazards, Machine guarding, Annual summary, Sanitation, Oxygen storage.

TX          1386420.015      Intercontinental Terminals Company LLC              LA PORTE  09/16/2019        $53,040.00         Process safety management of highly hazardous chemicals

CA         1396505.015      Mission Linen Supply     NEWARK              09/13/2019        $76,770.00         [no violations linked]

IA           1421180.015      Department of Human Services, State of Iowa              INDEPENDENCE 09/13/2019        $72,770.00         [no violations linked]

ID          1391372.015      Dollar Tree Stores Inc.    BOISE    09/13/2019              $229,218.00       Exit routes (clear and unobstructed), Stable and secure storage of material         

ID          1391524.015      Dollar Tree Stores, Inc.  CALDWELL              09/13/2019        $288,700.00       Exit routes (clear and unobstructed), Sufficient access and working space around electrical equipment, Stable and secure storage of material

ID          1391852.015      Dollar Tree Stores, Inc.  NAMPA 09/13/2019              $151,546.00       Ladders, Protection from fall hazards, Stable and secure storage of material

ID          1392581.015      Dollar Tree Stores, Inc.  MERIDIAN              09/13/2019        $229,218.00       Exit routes (clear and unobstructed), Stable and secure storage of material

KY          1387862.015      BAPTIST HEALTHCARE SYSTEM INC          PADUCAH              09/13/2019        $49,000.00         [no violations linked]

MS         1385578.015      HOWARD INDUSTRIES INC.          LAUREL              09/13/2019        $53,040.00         General Duty (providing safe workplace), Protection from fall hazards, Lockout / Tagout

NH         1398405.015      Ocean State Job Lot        STRATHAM              09/13/2019        $154,199.00       Respiratory protection, Sanitation, Vermin control

NY         1390472.015      KTC Design Group, Inc.  BROOKLYN              09/13/2019        $44,180.00         Accident prevention responsibilities, Housekeeping, Grounding path, Worn or frayed electrical cords or cables, Daily inspections of excavations, Protective systems for excavations, Engineering survey prior to beginning demolition operations

TX          1419839.015      Protech Roofing Systems LLC.     EL PASO              09/13/2019        $100,644.00       Aerial lifts, Fall protection, Fall hazard training

MA        1416526.015      James Roberts   FLORENCE          09/12/2019              $59,384.00         Fall hazard training (with certification), Duty to have fall protection

OH         1407810.015      Superior Dairy, Inc.         CANTON              09/12/2019        $65,637.00         Lockout / Tagout

PA          1421626.015      AVI Foodsystems, Inc.    CALIFORNIA              09/11/2019        $51,145.00         Eye wash stations, Safety data sheets, Hazard information and training, PPE (hazard assessment), Eye and face protection, Hand protection

TX          1426676.015      Bodycote Thermal Processing, Inc.           HOUSTON              09/11/2019        $50,011.00         Duty to have fall protection and falling object protection, PPE, Lockout / Tagout, Work rests, Machine guarding.

WI         1401653.015      Wood Sewer & Excavation, Inc.  FOX POINT              09/11/2019        $65,921.00         Excavations: means of egress, inspections, protective systems.

MN        1397387.015      Brentwood Motor Inn LP dba Brentwood Inn - Suites    ROCHESTER       09/10/2019        $50,375.00         [no violations linked]

OH         1413216.015      Windsor Realty & Management, Inc.       KENT              09/09/2019        $64,028.00         Accident prevention responsibilities, Safety training, Scaffolds, Fall protection, Fall protection training, Ladders, Recording criteria, Report in-patient hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye to OSHA within 24 hours.

WA        1387932.015      EVERGREEN STATE COLLEGE THE             OLYMPIA              09/09/2019        $135,600.00       [no violations linked]

FL           1416242.015      Domingos 54 Construction, Inc. RUSKIN              09/06/2019        $43,757.00         [no violations linked]

GA         1384550.015      Hyundai Transys Georgia Powertrain, Inc.              WEST POINT      09/06/2019        $68,194.00         Scaffolding (fall protection / falling object protection), Hearing conservation program, Lockout / Tagout

KS          1404598.015      Shamrock Tire & Auto Service, Inc.          WICHITA              09/06/2019        $104,754.00       Portable wood ladders, Scaffolding (fall protection / falling object protection), Flammable and combustible liquids, Servicing multi-piece and single piece rim wheels, Powered industrial trucks, Machine guarding, Work rests, Guarding pulleys, Examination of electric equipment, Visual inspection of portable electric equipment, Written hazard communication program, Hazardous chemical training, Report in-patient hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye to OSHA within 24 hours.

NY         1409528.015      Grand Rehabilitation & Nursing in Batavia              BATAVIA             09/06/2019        $45,464.00         Exit routes, Automatic sprinkler systems, Asbestos, Bloodborne Pathogens (Exposure Control Plan, Training program, Training records).

TX          1387139.015      Jupiter Metal Roofing    CARROLLTON              09/06/2019        $62,132.00         Fall hazard training, Fall protection, Reporting the fatality of any employee as a result of a work-related incident to OSHA and US Dept of Labor within 8 hours.

TX          1387186.015      VALLEY RIDGE ROOFING AND CONSTRUCTION LLC              CARROLLTON    09/06/2019        $102,101.00       Fall hazard training, Fall protection

CA         1383554.015      Batth Farms, Inc.             CARUTHERS              09/05/2019        $58,350.00         [no violations linked]

IL           1387243.015      Graham Welding, Inc.    DECATUR              09/05/2019        $40,628.00         Portable wooden ladders, Hearing conservation program, PPE, Eye and face protection, Eye wash stations, Machine guarding, Flexible cords and cables (visual inspection and removal of defective or damaged parts), Inorganic arsenic (monitoring, PPE), Lead (PPE, hazard communication), Safety data sheets, Written hazard communication program, Hazardous chemical training, Respiratory protection, Cadmium (exposure monitoring).

IL           1386770.015      Polo Masonry Builders, Inc.         CHICAGO              09/05/2019        $252,136.00       Scaffolds (fall protection), Walking-working surface (fall protection), Guarding protruding steel to eliminate hazard of impalement, Forms for recordable injuries and illnesses, Written certification of training

NJ          1397879.015      EG Munoz Construction, LLC       NEWARK              09/05/2019        $116,688.00       Safety training, Lead, Respiratory protection, Asbestos

SC          1384093.015      Cedar Fair Southwest Inc dba Carowinds              FORT MILL          09/05/2019        $42,000.00         [no violations linked]