Monday, September 7, 2026
OSHA News August 2026
OSHA News for September 2026
Hello everyone,
A busy last week with a 3 day STSC prep class and Friday night ASSP Incident Investigation class. Add a 213F legasl report that had to get done.
This month’s PowerPoint is the intro STSC. The STSC prep class was to a Chicago General Contractor and all were the foreman on the various sites. I think we are seeing the move beyond and the OSHA 30. Integrating the safety and the people moving the project should result in better safety performance out there.
The tornados in August got close. I was in the class when the sirens went off in Wheaton. The place had a concrete wall kitchen for their emergency shelter. Illinois is over 200 Tornados.
Foreman lashing out at OSHA. Twice in 3 months. The foreman's emotional reaction can be driven by severe stress, fear of personal failure, and an instinctive threat response to a high-stakes situation. In high-pressure moments like an unannounced OSHA inspection, the brain can experience what psychologists call an "amygdala hijack." The foreman likely perceives the inspector not just as an auditor, but as a direct threat to their job, their financial security, and their professional reputation. When overwhelmed by this level of anxiety, a person's logical thinking shuts down, forcing them into a fight-or-flight state. Lashing out is the "fight" response, while failing to notify the safety team is a form of avoidance, or the "flight/freeze" response, driven by the mistaken belief that ignoring the problem might make it go away or delay the consequences. Companies can implement pre-planned OSHA checklists and role-playing exercises to help employees manage panic during unexpected inspections. I included an early version of the OSHA Inspection Checklist.
471 people have told me they passed a BCSP in the first 8 months of the year.
John
OSHA News Update
1. CSB Discovers that Nippon Dynawave Packaging Company Was Told in July 2025 that the Tank Was Not Fit for Continued Service and Could Fail
https://lnkd.in/gyNF5Ky2
2. North Carolina OSHA ends penalty reductions in fatal workplace cases
The Directive: Labor Commissioner Luke Farley ordered that penalties for safety violations acting as a proximate cause of a workplace fatality will no longer be adjusted or reduced.
The "Death Discount": Previously, the North Carolina Department of Labor mirrored a federal OSHA practice that cut penalties by up to 70% depending on business size.
Impact: Small and large businesses now face full, unreduced penalties if a safety violation leads directly to a worker fatality. Farley noted that support for small businesses should come via education and outreach rather than reduced accountability for fatal negligence.
3. Workers warned Ohio trench was too deep but were told to enter minutes before fatal cave-in: report | Fox News
Workers warned the Ohio trench was too deep before the cave-in that killed Jose Alberto Barajas Martinez, but OSHA says they were told to enter anyway, a report says. | Fox News
https://lnkd.in/gDimQJcW
4. OSHA's Chicago Region extended its OSHA Instruction CPL 04-00-27 Regional Emphasis Program (REP) for
Exposure to Noise Hazards in the Workplace issued on June 1, 2021, due to expire on May 31,
2026, until December 31, 2026 or until superseded by an updated directive.
5.
Other safety News
1. Man Charged with Murder After Explosion at Oklahoma Marijuana Facility Kills 2 https://lnkd.in/g3PcG952
2. Will IL follow?
Under Ohio Revised Code § 2745.01, a worker or their family can only sue an employer outside of workers' comp if they can prove an intentional tort.
Deliberate Intent Required: The law requires proof that the employer acted with a conscious, deliberate intent to cause injury or death.
The Bar is Extremely High: Ohio courts have ruled that "gross, wanton, willful, deliberate, intentional, reckless, or malicious negligence" does not suffice to meet this standard unless there is a specific, purposeful intent to inflict harm.
Statutory Presumptions: Deliberate intent can only be legally presumed in very specific scenarios, such as the deliberate removal of an equipment safety guard or the deliberate misrepresentation of a toxic/hazardous substance.
3. Chemical Plant explosion in Sauget IL.
https://lnkd.in/gYnRNiGP
4. NYC passed a heat rule protecting workers.
https://lnkd.in/gZmaRm9b
5. Connecticut worker at quarry dies while running construction equipment
Update: Man Dies After Being Hit By Boulder In Seymour - Valley Independent Sentinel https://lnkd.in/g_YFKKCU
6. unknown Contractor seriously hurt after being shocked in Gurnee, fire dept. says
https://lnkd.in/g3B8cf7C
7. Two dead and recycling plan explosion in Ohio.
https://lnkd.in/gJJPtXhp
8. 28-year-old father of 6 Jonathan Stepp killed while working at Cleveland Cliffs Burns Harbor steel plant in NW Indiana: union | abc7chicago.com https://lnkd.in/gJmh6NVh
9.
OSHA CITATIONS 6/20/2025
This is discontinued
Safety Training at Non-Profits (Check Sites for Starting Dates)
OSHA 3015 CSC Excavation Sep 10
OSHA 500 CSC Sep 15 -18
Osha 7845 recordkeeping Sep 11 NUI Naperville
ASSP Conference #1 SIF and 47% problem Sep 14 Niu Naperville
Harwood Grant Silica Sep 29 2026 CSC
Harwood Grant Machine guard lockout Sep 21 NIU Naperville
Harwood Grant Machine guard lockout Sep 8 NIU Rockford
Harwood Grant Confined Space Fire Sep 23 NIU Naperville
Harwood Grant Confined Space Fire September 22 NIU Rockford
OSHA 7510 Intro OSHA Small Business Sep 25 NIU Naperville
For FREE NIU Harwood grant training https://cpelearn.niu.edu/susan-harwood-training-grant-program/
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
I usually teach only 10-hour and the 500 series. I have taught 1673 people this year. I teach evenings, weekends, and early mornings too. I teach in Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Ohio, and Indiana.
The PowerPoint is posted free at usmwf.org. https://www.usmwf.org/powerpoints-and-safety-information.html
I use your feedback to make changes to make corrections.
--
John Newquist
815-354-6853
Sunday, August 2, 2026
OSHA News July 2026
OSHA News for August 2026
Hello everyone,
What a busy month after the July fourth week.
I got involved in helping some companies with their OSHA reporting on hospitalizations. The voluntary investigation form asked for root causes and corrective action. Blame for employees is not usually root cause.
I got to go to Midland Michigan to teach Silica and Excavation safety for the CSC Harwood Grant. Michigan now has a data center moratorium also. The Dow Gardens is a wonderful place to see new plants. Usually the Fall is not as busy but I am booked until the Thanksgiving holiday. Customized training and Legal is taking the time.
This month’s PowerPoint is short, I used the manufacturer tabulated date to show the gap allowed in the shoring system. Using fin board and sheeting, a contractor can protect the soil. In the four trench audits, they lack of knowledge had cases where the gaps were too large.
374 people have told me they passed a BCSP in the first 7 months of the year. Wow.
Lets get through August and cool down.
John
OSHA News Update
1) Federal investigators cited three employers—One Way Environmental Services LLC, Coastal Environmental Solutions Inc., and BWC Terminals LLC—following a massive sulfuric acid spill in Channelview, TX. OSHA proposed a combined $3.52 million in penalties for willful and serious safety failures during the hazardous cleanup.
One Way Environmental Services LLC: Proposed $3,045,452 in penalties. Cited for 18 willful egregious violations and 5 serious violations. The company allegedly sent cleanup laborers into the hazardous spill zone without adequate training, respirator fit testing, or required safety measures.
Coastal Environmental Solutions Inc.: Proposed $392,501 in penalties. Cited for 2 willful violations and 5 serious violations for failing to provide adequate worker training, develop an emergency response plan, and establish a safety and health program.
BWC Terminals LLC: Proposed $82,750 in penalties. Cited for 6 serious violations for exposing workers to chemical burns, failing to provide hazardous materials training, and lacking respirator use policies. https://lnkd.in/gcDNdtKt
2) US Department of Labor cites Maine hardwood pulp mill more than $700K for exposing workers to chemical hazards
AUGUSTA, ME – A federal investigation into the release of a deadly gas at a Baileyville-based wood pulp mill found that the employer exposed workers to safety and health hazards that resulted in the death of two workers.
3) Federal investigators cite Florida roofing contractor for willfully, repeatedly ignoring fall protection standards, propose $349K in fines
ORLANDO, FL – The U.S. Department of Labor has cited a Florida roofing company for willfully putting workers at risk of falling at residential construction sites.
4) US Department of Labor cites big rig parts distributer for confined space, safety hazards after worker fatality at company’s Corpus Christi facility
CORPUS CHRISTI, TX ‒ The U.S. Department of Labor has cited big rig parts distributer FleetPride Inc. for 16 serious safety violations after an investigation into a worker fatality found the company exposed workers to confined space and other safety hazards.
5) US Department of Labor cites Texas contractor, staffing company after worker suffers fatal injury in elementary school crawl space
SAN ANTONIO, TX - The U.S. Department of Labor has cited a building contractor and a staffing company for safety violations after a worker suffered fatal injuries while operating a mini-excavator beneath an elementary school in Converse.
6) US Department of Labor announces nearly $13M available in funding for worker safety, health training grants
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the availability of $12.7 million in Susan Harwood Training Grants to support the delivery of training and education to help workers and employers identify and prevent workplace safety and health hazards.
7)
Other News
1) ACGIH TLV for hydrogen sulfide is 1 ppm. STEL is 5 ppm. Does this change your confined space program?
https://lnkd.in/gdnZvYzy
2) Worker dies at Alton steel in Illinois
https://lnkd.in/g72XSjm5
3) Sewer workers in Downers Grove trapped. One died.
https://lnkd.in/gdfzpA93
4) Cyclosporas cases are hundreds in Illinois and Michigan. A special test costing $1000 has to be done since the normal tests will not detect the parasite. Insurance usually will not cover it. And the clinics and hospital want a positive test before writing a prescription.
https://lnkd.in/gf_YtRxR
5) Four dead in New York from legionnaires disease
https://lnkd.in/gMm3786h
6) I know it is 108 heat index and no one wants to hand dig, but using the excavation slowly to find an utilities line is not allowed by Julie.
If you must excavate within the tolerance zone, dig next to the marks, not on top of them. Hand dig, pot hole or vacuum excavate with extreme caution.
https://lnkd.in/gDdQhZnJ
7) A steel mill in granite a city has a worker get electrocuted.
https://lnkd.in/gNRcRQuh
8) SHRM's own layoff toolkit states that individual layoffs should be delivered in a conversation, whether in person or virtually, whenever possible to preserve the dignity of the person and validate their work, and it emphasizes that open, transparent communication delivered compassionately before, during, and after layoffs goes a long way toward mitigating the aftermath on company culture. A SHRM-certified consultant quoted in their remote-layoff guidance was even more blunt, comparing email layoff notifications to breaking up with someone over text message, warning that it's the fastest way to tarnish a company's reputation.
SHRM guidance says that after layoff notifications are complete, HR should promptly communicate with remaining staff, who may fear losing their own jobs, and reassure them they're valued — more than once.
9)
OSHA CITATIONS 6/20/2025
This is discontinued
Safety Training at Non-Profits (Check Sites for Starting Dates)
OSHA 2055 CSC Cranes Aug 18-20
OSHA 510 CSC Aug 4-7.
Harwood Grant Silica Sep 29 2026 CSC
Harwood Grant Machine guard lockout AUG 5 NIU Naperville
Harwood Grant Machine guard lockout Sep 8 NIU Rockford
Harwood Grant Confined Space Fire Aug 17 NIU Naperville
Harwood Grant Confined Space Fire September 22 NIU Rockford
OSHA 511 Aug 10-13 NIU Naperville
OSHA 7210 Aug 21 Pandemic Illness Preparedness online
OSHA 502 Aug 25-27 CSC
For FREE NIU Harwood grant training https://cpelearn.niu.edu/susan-harwood-training-grant-program/
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
I usually teach only 10-hour and the 500 series. I have taught 1443 people this year. I teach evenings, weekends, and early mornings too. I teach in Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Ohio, and Indiana.
The PowerPoint is posted free at usmwf.org. https://www.usmwf.org/powerpoints-and-safety-information.html
I use your feedback to make changes to make corrections.
--
John Newquist
815-354-6853
Tuesday, June 30, 2026
OSHA News June 2026
OSHA News for July 2026
Hello everyone,
We started out July with 105 heat index in the Chicago area. Hydrate and replenish the electrolytes. Many company are renting or buying freezer to store ice which is very popular with employees.
I would like to wish BIll Donovan a happy retirement and thank him for his many years of service to occupational safety and health.
Bill began his OSHA career as a Compliance Officer in New York before coming to the OSHA Training Institute in the mid-1990s, where he became one of OSHA's leading instructors on fall protection. Thousands of OSHA personnel, safety professionals, and compliance officers benefited from his knowledge, practical experience, and ability to make complex topics understandable.
Bill later served in the Regional Office in Enforcement Programs, where he continued to influence OSHA's mission through policy, guidance, and leadership. One phrase many of us remember him saying was, "Bad cases make bad law." It was a reminder that good enforcement, careful analysis, and sound decision-making matter because their effects can last for years. He was promoted to the Regional Administrator 5 years ago.
NAICS 33 is metal manufacturing industry and an OSHA National Emphasis Program. I went over 102 fatalities since January 2024. (Most of 2025 is not available yet.) 14 Cardiac arrest death not counted as part of the 102 deaths.
Age 60 and over was approx. 25% of the deaths.
Struck by falling or moving objects were about 33% of the deaths.
Getting all the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) written takes time.
I got to see this world class company complete 100+ SOP videos to complement the written SOPs.
They are making their tool box talks (TBT) have a video component for their written TBT also.
They are using "Clipchamp" to make these videos using several mini videos from a cell phone.
EMR is 0.68.
This month’s PowerPoint was an OSHA update on Emphasis programs for clients. Their sector was NAICS 2379. Sector specific updates are popular this year.
314 people have told me they passed a BCSP in the first six months of the year. Wow.
John
OSHA News Update
1) OSHA issued more than $3.5M in proposed penalties to three companies for exposing workers to dangerous sulfuric acid during emergency response cleanup after a chemical spill. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eQdDE4fy
2) There are several reports about onsite accidents or alleged safety lapses at the Stargate data centers in Abilene, TX.
https://time.com/article/2026/06/24/ai-data-center-stargate-abilene-texas-injuries/
3) The U.S. Department of Labor has cited a Bowden GA, Piggly Wiggly supermarket franchisee for safety violations after a meat department worker suffered an amputation.
OSHA found RBG Foods Inc. – operating as Piggly Wiggly – tasked the worker with cleaning a commercial grinder. A co-worker stepped on the machine's foot-control pedal which started the grinder, pulling in the employee's hand and causing the amputation of four fingers.
OSHA cited the employer with a willful violation for bypassing the machine's safety guards and exposing workers to hazards like moving parts and flying debris. The employer was also issued a serious violation for failing to establish a program for the control of hazardous energy, and an other-than-serious violation for failing to report the amputation to OSHA within 24 hours of the incident.
OSHA assessed $196,251 in proposed penalties.
Other News
1) Microsoft’s massive $3.3 billion "Fairwater" AI data center in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin, went 100% fully operational last Tuesday, June 23, 2026.
2) One dead in grain bin Mt. Carmel IL.
https://www.wowt.com/2026/06/05/1-dead-2-rescued-after-workers-trapped-grain-bin/
3) Illinois shooting at Amazon
https://lnkd.in/gAQQH8Gr
4) Highway work is so dangerous and unfortunately a worker in Illinois lost his life
https://lnkd.in/gqnJFvMi
OSHA CITATIONS 6/20/2025
This is discontinued
Safety Training at Non-Profits (Check Sites for Starting Dates)
OSHA 7410 CSC Excavation Safety July 14
OSHA 500 CSC July 20-23.
Harwood Grant Silica July 27 2026 CSC
Harwood Grant Machine guard lockout July 17 NIU Naperville
Harwood Grant Machine guard lockout July 9 NIU Rockford
Harwood Grant Confined Space Fire July 24 2026 NIU Naperville
Harwood Grant Confined Space Fire September 22 NIU Rockford
OSHA 7105 Emergency Planning July 20 NIU Naperville
For FREE NIU Harwood grant training https://cpelearn.niu.edu/susan-harwood-training-grant-program/
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
I usually teach only 10-hour and the 500 series. I have taught 1443 people this year. I teach evenings, weekends, and early mornings too. I teach in Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Ohio, and Indiana.
The PowerPoint is posted free at usmwf.org. https://www.usmwf.org/powerpoints-and-safety-information.html
I use your feedback to make changes to make corrections.
Sunday, May 31, 2026
OSHA Newquist April 2026
OSHA News for April 2026
Hello everyone,
If this newsletter is reaching you a little later than usual, it’s because the reality of the field caught up with the calendar. Between unexpectedly filling in to teach a three-day confined space course, knocking out second and third-shift classes, and traveling for site audits, my schedule was pushed completely sideways this month. I finally got my feet back under my desk today.
In developing hazard analyses for clients recently, I've been diving deep into the most recent incident reports. To truly protect our workers, our safety strategies need to expand beyond standard compliance and focus directly on the specific mechanisms causing the injuries on the floor.
This data-first approach hits especially close to home this week. On April 28th, we observed Workers Memorial Day, taking time to honor those who lost their lives in the pursuit of building our world. Whether we are looking at confined space entry, fall protection, or machine guarding, the "stakes" of our daily operations are human lives.
We can't change the past, but we can change the variables for the future. Education, training, and relentless vigilance are the only ways to tilt the odds in favor of the worker. Let’s honor the fallen by making safety an unbreakable standard, not a suggestion.
To that end, this month's free PowerPoint download is the Top 5 Construction Accident Categories. I am actually delivering a portion of this presentation on Monday to a room of 100 people. I really like the OSHA SIR data I dug out regarding what is specifically hurting our construction workers right now, with a heavy focus on the new statistics surrounding concrete work and fall protection. We have to know the specific hazards to defeat them.
Finally, I want to send a massive congratulations out to the field: 178 people have passed their BCSP Certification so far this year! That is 178 more dedicated professionals raising the bar and keeping our crews safe. Excellent work.
John
OSHA News Update
1) Fabcon Precast LLC was sentenced in June 2025 to a $500,000 fine and two years of probation after pleading guilty to a criminal charge for the 2020 death of 20-year-old worker Zachary Ledbetter. The company willfully violated OSHA rules by failing to repair a broken safety valve on a concrete mixer, causing a pneumatic door to crush the employee in Grove City, Ohio. In June 2020, batch operator Zachary Ledbetter was killed when a pneumatic discharge door on a concrete mixer closed on his head. The machine had a known, unrepaired broken T-handle on an exhaust valve designed to disable the door.
OSHA - At 4:30 p.m. On June 11, 2020, Employee # 1 was attempting to remove a jam with an air chipper from under an open pneumatic concrete mixer discharge door. He released the jam causing the door to close while his head and neck were inside the 90 pounds per square inch pressure door's action trapping him. He lost consciousness, suffered neck and head crushing injuries which resulted in Employee # 1's death. Willful lockout and confined space was cited.
June 2025. Criminal Charge: Fabcon Precast pleaded guilty to willfully failing to follow an OSHA safety standard, which caused an employee's death—a class B misdemeanor under federal law. Filings also say the company paid for Ledbetter’s funeral and provided a substantial financial settlement to his family as part of restitution.
Sentencing: The company received the maximum fine of $500,000, two years of organizational probation, and was ordered to implement a strict safety compliance plan. They paid $250,000 OSHA fine in addition.
Investigation: The case was investigated by the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General and prosecuted by the Environmental Crimes Section of the Department of Justice.
2) OSHA just extended and updated its National Emphasis Program on heat illness, adding several new covered industries, while removing others. When OSHA extended the NEP for only one year, some observers thought that meant it was likely to expire in 2026; instead, it will be in place for another 5 years.
3) Department of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer to step down;
Keith Sonderling to take over, according to White House Communications Director Steven Cheung
4) The FY2025 OSHA dataset contains 79,691 inspection records with 116,558 violations.
Construction accounted for 33,822 inspection records (42.4%), while manufacturing represented 15,713 (19.7%). Combined, these two sectors made up 62.2% of all inspection records in the dataset.
Enforcement activity also remained concentrated in a few primary channels. Planned inspections led at 30,987, followed by complaints (19,605) and referrals (12,464). Together, these three categories represented 79.1% of all inspection records, reinforcing that OSHA activity is being driven by both programmed emphasis and external triggers.
Geographic concentration is also notable. California led with 7,492 inspection records, followed by Washington (5,584), Oregon (3,996), Texas (3,894), and Michigan (3,832).
At the industry level, inspection activity was especially pronounced in high-exposure construction segments. Roofing contractors led all categories with 7,707 inspection records, followed by framing contractors (4,240) and commercial and institutional building construction (4,009). From Craig Bengal.
5) A potential change to OSHA’s fixed ladder requirements could have major implications for employers.
The agency is seeking input on whether to eliminate its 2036 deadline for installing fall protection systems – a requirement industry groups say would impact 22,000+ ladders and cost more than $1 billion.
Details here: https://bit.ly/4sqnvCI6)
6) Officials in Northern California have arrested eight people, including a former local police officer, in connection with an explosion at a fireworks warehouse last July that killed seven people. Five of those arrested have been charged with murder.
https://lnkd.in/g3NARpDD
7) Tennessee OSHA issues $3.1 million fine for explosion
https://lnkd.in/gyjvbSAm
Other News
1) Worker dies after falling 4 stories from Northwestern building, Evanston police say
https://lnkd.in/gahhx6sB
2) Workers 65 and older have nearly three times the risk of dying on the job as other workers, with a job fatality rate of 9.1 per 100,000 workers.
https://lnkd.in/gPW-zkrs
3) Explosion at BP Cherry Point Refinery Injures Workers and Triggers Evacuation Near Seattle
An industrial incident at the BP Cherry Point Refinery in Blaine, Washington, on April 19th resulted in at least four injuries and the hospitalisation of three workers following an explosion at the site.
Witnesses reported hearing an explosion around 10:20 a.m., prompting an immediate evacuation of refinery personnel. Emergency services arrived shortly after and transported injured workers to hospital, with one reported to require advanced life support.
The facility, operated by BP plc, confirmed the incident was contained and stated there is no ongoing risk to nearby communities. All other personnel were accounted for following the emergency response.
Local fire authorities were not directly involved in operational mitigation inside the facility, and the exact cause of the incident remains under investigation.
4) Jury awards injured worker 5.5 million in Wisconsin at a Menards distribution center forklift accident.
https://lnkd.in/gGTVnfFp
5) New research from CPWR--The Center for Construction Research and Training says workers at small construction firms experience much higher death and injury rates. https://lnkd.in/gpS4KbNA
6) Two people were killed and over a dozen others required medical care after a chemical release at Catalyst Refiners in Kanawha County, West Virginia, officials said. The incident prompted a temporary shelter-in-place order and left one person in critical condition. | Fox News
https://lnkd.in/gbaXtnrR
7) An explosion at a chemical plant in Ottawa IL Tuesday morning was leading to multiple street closures, with residents being asked to avoid the area and emergency responders on scene.
Just before 8 a.m, the Ottawa Fire Department received a call of an incident at Coogee Chemicals, located at 1501 Titanium Drive. In a Facebook post, the Ottawa Fire Department asked people nearby the avoid the area, describing the scene as "active.
8) The Drew Price Act (SB1742/Public Act 104-0121), effective Jan. 1, 2026, is an Illinois law improving firefighter safety by requiring guardrails or parapets around light shafts, skylights, and roof openings on low-sloped commercial buildings. Named after a Chicago firefighter who died in 2023, it mandates safety surveys of roof hazards for first responders.
Section 10. Low-sloped roof edges and openings. All existing buildings, new construction, new roofs, roof replacements, and renovation projects that increase the area of a home or business by more than 50% are subject to the following requirements:
(1) The edges of a low-sloped roof that adjoin a shaft or a court that is enclosed on all sides shall be provided with a parapet, extended masonry, or guard, or any combination thereof that meets the requirements of Section 1015 of the International Building Code.
(2) All skylights and other openings located in the plane of a low-sloped roof that are not otherwise required to remain open and unobstructed by law shall be either: (A) glazed with wired glass, plain glass, glass block, or polycarbonate plastic that is designed and constructed to withstand a minimum dynamic load test of no less than 400 pounds; or (B) provided with a parapet, extended masonry, or guard, or any combination thereof, that meets the requirements of Section 1015 of the International Building Code.
9) Liberty Mutual data for 2025. Nonfatal injuries with more five days. Manufacturing.
1. Overexertion 1.77 Billion
2. Falls Same Level 1.27 Billion.
3. Struck by objects or equipment 830 million.
4. Caught by equipment (Lockout or Guarding) 650 Million
5. Repetitive motion microtasks 580 Million
10) Conroe TX trench death Saturday.
https://lnkd.in/gRkhhKjJ
11) A dust collector fire burn? Illinois
https://lnkd.in/gFY3XK7p
12) EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WJAR) — An explosion at a manufacturing plant in East Providence sent 11 people to the hospital.
An NBC 10 viewer shared doorbell camera video that caught the flash and the sound from Wednesday night's blast at Aspen Aerogels.
https://lnkd.in/gdqdHHWH
13) PA Worker was working at a construction site in the area of 712 Clover Drive in Hamilton Township when a trench collapsed on him.
https://lnkd.in/gjxc6EF4
14) Philadelphia Parking Garage collapse under construction kills worker
https://lnkd.in/g9xqjPAC
OSHA CITATIONS 6/20/2025
This is discontinued
Safety Training at Non-Profits (Check Sites for Starting Dates)
Harwood Grant Silica May 26 2026 CSC
Harwood Grant Machine guard lockout May 8 2026 NIU Naperville
Harwood Grant Machine guard lockout May 15 2026 NIU Rockford
Harwood Grant Confined Space Fire May 13 2026 NIU Naperville
Harwood Grant Confined Space Fire May 22 2026 NIU Rockford
OSHA 500 CSC May 18-19 2026
For FREE Harwood grant training https://cpelearn.niu.edu/susan-harwood-training-grant-program/
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
I usually teach only 10-hour and the 500 series. I have taught 663 people this year. I teach evenings, weekends, and early mornings too. I teach in Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Ohio, and Indiana.
The PowerPoint is posted free at usmwf.org. https://www.usmwf.org/powerpoints-and-safety-information.html
I use your feedback to make changes to make corrections.
--
John Newquist
815-354-6853
OSHA News May 2026
OSHA News for June 2026
Hello everyone,
It was a busy month with customized training and grant training. I told some time off to take training and was always good to learn more about what works like HOP. One world class company showed me their 100 SOP videos and numerous video Tool Box Talks. Add in JSA and audit and it explains why they are world class.
One of the giants in PSM passed away, Mark Kasniak. He was a funny guy and knew the PSM thoroughly. See OSHA #2.
The Westmont litigation could change IL Worker Comp. See Other #1.
The cost of an OSHA case pales next to top civil litigation cases. Even though safety professionals are not lawyers, I learned about interrogatories, requests for production, expert witness reports from the best while in OSHA. Dick Fiore, Leonard Borden, Susan Witz, Allen Bean, Rafael Alvarez, Steven Yohay, Mark Lies, Dennis Morikawa, Kevin Koplin. If you have an opportunity to get involved, embrace the process vs. thinking it their legal job.
Stephen Hester - My question: Why are we, as an industry, pushing the envelope in terms of how much incident energy we’re willing to expose workers to before we decide to look for a better way?
What’s next? 200 cal? 500 cal? 1000?
Regional Administrator Bill Donovan retires June 16, 2026. Bill was great to work with in OSHA. Bad Cases make Bad Case law is the quote that I remember the most.
This month is a silica ppt. I find my self-teaching silica every month.
257 people have told me they passed their BCSP Certification this year. June is a good to refresh the Heat Stress Training.
John
OSHA News Update
1) Top 2025 cited category.
1. Fall Protection – General Requirements (1926.501): 6,992 violations
2. Hazard Communication (1910.1200): 3,010
3. Ladders (1926.1053): 2,842
4. Lockout/Tagout (1910.147): 2,562
5. Respiratory Protection (1910.134): 2,294
6. Scaffolding (1926.451): 2,286
7. Fall Protection – Training Requirements (1926.503): 2,216
8. Powered Industrial Trucks (1910.178): 2,150
9. Personal Protective and Lifesaving Equipment – Eye and Face Protection (1926.102): 1,965
10. Machine Guarding (1910.212): 1,498
https://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/osha-reveals-final-top-10-data-for-fy-2025/
2) Tribute to Mark Kaczniak
Mark Kaczniak dedicated his life to protecting workers and advancing the field of process safety at a time when it was still taking shape. Those who worked alongside him quickly recognized a rare combination of technical mastery, steady judgment, and quiet leadership.
Beginning his career with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in the early 1980s, Mark became deeply involved in some of the most complex and consequential industrial incidents of that era. He had a remarkable ability to sort through dense technical data, understand chemical processes at their core, and identify the factors that truly mattered. While many saw only complexity, Mark saw clarity—and he used that clarity to drive meaningful change.
He was among the early pioneers of what would become modern process safety management. During a period marked by major industrial explosions and evolving regulatory frameworks, Mark played an instrumental role in shaping how hazards were understood and addressed. His work helped elevate attention toward the most serious risks in industry, always with a focus on protecting workers.
Mark later brought his expertise to industry leadership roles, serving as Safety Director at Morton Salt and subsequently at IMC Global. In these positions, he continued to champion strong safety practices and ensured that lessons learned from past incidents translated into better protections for those in the field.
He also stood as an advocate for workers, including providing testimony during OSHA hearings that helped sharpen the agency’s focus on critical process safety issues. His voice carried weight not because it was loud, but because it was grounded in deep knowledge and unwavering integrity.
Mark later joined the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, where he spent two decades contributing to investigations and advancing the understanding of major chemical incidents. His work there touched many of the most significant events in the field, helping ensure that their lessons would not be forgotten.
A graduate of Lane Technical College Prep High School and the University of Illinois Chicago, Mark was a chemical engineer by training, but far more importantly, he was a leader by example—thoughtful, disciplined, and committed to doing the work the right way.
Mark Kaszniak leaves behind a lasting legacy in process safety and worker protection. His contributions helped shape an entire field and improved the lives of countless workers who will never know his name—but are safer because of him.
He is survived by his wife, Pamela, and made his home in Washington, D.C.
3) OSHA Fatal Fall Case Summary
The U.S. Department of Labor cited Max Home Services LLC (doing business as Pasat Roofing and Solar Energy) after a fatal roofing incident in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Key Facts:
• Date of incident: September 24, 2025
• Work being performed: Workers were installing a tarp on a two-story residence.
• Incident: Two employees slipped from the roof and fell into an empty swimming pool.
• Outcome:
o One employee suffered fatal injuries.
o One employee suffered serious injuries.
OSHA Findings:
• Employees were working more than 20 feet above the ground without personal fall protection.
• OSHA determined the employer willfully exposed workers to fall hazards.
• The company also:
o Failed to adequately train workers to recognize fall hazards.
o Failed to implement a required hazard communication program for employees using hazardous chemicals.
Citations Issued:
• 1 Willful Violation
o Failure to provide required fall protection.
• 2 Serious Violations
o Inadequate fall hazard training.
o Deficiencies in hazard communication.
Proposed Penalty:
• $172,324
4) The U.S. Department of Labor cited Breland Homes Inc., a Huntsville, Alabama homebuilder, after a trench collapse killed a construction worker during utility installation work.
Key Facts:
• Date of OSHA announcement: April 16, 2026
• Incident date: December 2025
• Location: Madison County subdivision, Alabama
• Work being performed: Installation of a sewage drainpipe.
• Incident: A trench collapsed and engulfed a construction laborer.
• Outcome: One worker was fatally injured.
OSHA Findings:
OSHA investigators determined that Breland Homes:
• Allowed the worker to enter an unprotected and unsupported trench.
• Failed to train employees to recognize trenching and excavation hazards.
• Permitted employees to work without required protective helmets.
• Allowed the use of a damaged ladder on the jobsite.
• Exposed workers to multiple additional safety hazards identified during the investigation.
Citations Issued:
• 8 Serious Violations
Proposed Penalty:
• $115,855
Other News
1) The Illinois Appellate Court (Third District) reversed a lower court's dismissal of a wrongful death and survival lawsuit brought by the estate of Matthew Heiden against his employer, the Village of Westmont. The central legal issue was whether the Village's conduct was so egregious that it constituted an "intentional" act, thereby bypassing the exclusive remedy provision of the Workers' Compensation Act.
I am sure it will go to the IL Supreme court.
Only in the NV Case was the shield penetrated to my knowledge. And that was a confined space also.
https://lnkd.in/gvgUN6bJ
2) I enjoyed the Data Center Safety Course. Five hours. $99
30 question final. 5 questions at 80% to pass the 18 modules.
No CEUs
https://lnkd.in/gi2E_EYE
3) A standard 48” x 40” wooden pallet typically has a load capacity between 2,500 and 4,000+ pounds (1,100–1,800+ kg), depending on its construction, wood species, and whether the load is static or in motion. While many are rated for around 2,500 lbs dynamic, heavy-duty pallets can safely carry over 4,600 lbs.Key factors affecting capacity include:Static Load (Stationary): Highest capacity (often 4,000 lbs+) because the pallet is not moving.Dynamic Load (Moving): Lower capacity (usually 2,000-3,000 lbs) as movement adds stress.Racking Load: The lowest capacity, as it must support the load solely by its ends.Wood Type: Hardwood pallets are generally stronger (3,000–4,500 lbs capacity) compared to softwood (2,000–3,000 lbs).Condition: Damaged, old, or wet pallets have significantly lower weight limits.Always assume a lower capacity if the pallet is not in perfect condition or if the load is not evenly distributed.Standard Pallet Size: Dimensions & Weight - The Cary CompanyMay 8, 2024 — What Is a Standard Pallet Size? Dimensions. The typical pallet dimensions of an industry standard pallet are 48” L x 40” W x 6” H.
1910.176(b)
Secure storage. Storage of material shall not create a hazard. So Don’t store 30000 pounds on a wood pallet.
4) Using Microsoft Form to make a Safety Observation/Hazard Reporting For a Data Center Project.
I could not take out the old QR code.
This example will go to an excel form to "You" or the safety department. The last one at a site of 500, generated 400 observations/suggestions/hazards in 6 months. I like this because I am seeing near misses, hazards, and "minor" injuries not get reported. This form goes beyond safety and workers report issues of quality, tradestacking, potential hostile workplace, property damage.
Post QR codes:
break areas
elevators
gang boxes
entrances
crane access points
safety boards
Headline:
“SEE SOMETHING UNSAFE? REPORT IT IMMEDIATELY.”
Workflow:
Form submitted via QR
Entry added to Excel automatically
then you can
Email automatically to contractor or individual
Assigned manager notified
Overdue items escalated
Weekly summary generated
It just takes practice. I never used Microsoft forms before this year. So do not be intimidated because it is new. I used copilot to give ideas and create the from. Then had only four edits. This can adapted for digital tool box talks and site orientation.
Link to form.
https://lnkd.in/gg2w8G8b
5) Late night thoughts after writing a billion SOP, JHA and TBT.
The Universal Failure Filter
After reviewing thousands of severe injuries across heavy industry, one pattern keeps repeating.
It’s not complicated.
When a catastrophic injury occurs, ask four questions:
1️⃣ Was there a defined procedure?
2️⃣ Was there a job hazard analysis?
3️⃣ Was there reinforcement (toolbox talk, supervision, audit)?
If the answer is no to any of these → the injury was predictable.
If all three were present → then the next question is simple:
Was it followed?
That’s it.
Most severe machine injuries, lockout failures, fire losses, confined space incidents — they collapse into this filter.
Not random.
Not mysterious.
Not “just an accident.”
Either:
• The system didn’t exist
• Or the system wasn’t followed
High-performing companies understand this. They don’t rely on hardware alone. They build layered defenses:
Procedure.
Hazard recognition.
Reinforcement.
And they audit all three.
This model applies far beyond machine guarding. It works for:
• Lockout/Tagout
• Fall protection
• Confined space
• Incident investigation
• Safety management systems
If you’re investigating an incident this year, try running it through this filter.
You may find the answer faster than you expect
6) Tales from the front. I was teaching a free silica class today, and Allisah said she is seeing the people who pass the user seal check fog up the glasses. I was saying that if you had a good user seal check. it should not happen. So I tried it and this nice respirator n95 fogged my glasses up which is not good. The 3m 8710 did not fog up the glasses. I had passed the respiratory fit test with bitrex with this respirator too while wearing glasses . One of the things that we don't do in the respiratory fit test is a blow hard test. We do deep breathing but not blowing hard.
7) Chemical plant incident kills one worker in Washington state
https://lnkd.in/g7rTRNz5
8) Highway work is so dangerous and unfortunately a worker in Illinois lost his life
https://lnkd.in/gqnJFvMi
9) Man dies after falling off construction equipment, run over in St. Louis
https://lnkd.in/g_gBwmnp
OSHA CITATIONS 6/20/2025
This is discontinued
Safety Training at Non-Profits (Check Sites for Starting Dates)
Harwood Grant Silica July 27 2026 CSC
Harwood Grant Machine guard lockout June 3 2026 NIU Naperville
Harwood Grant Machine guard lockout July 3 NIU Rockford
Harwood Grant Confined Space Fire June 9 2026 NIU Naperville
Harwood Grant Confined Space Fire June 10 2026 NIU Rockford
OSHA 510 CSC Online June 1-5 2026 RARE Online. New layout.
OSHA 7115 CSC Lockout June 17 2026 RARE Online. New layout.
OSHA 2045 Rockford June 29-July 2 Need three to run the class.
For FREE Harwood grant training https://cpelearn.niu.edu/susan-harwood-training-grant-program/
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
I usually teach only 10-hour and the 500 series. I have taught 663 people this year. I teach evenings, weekends, and early mornings too. I teach in Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Ohio, and Indiana.
The PowerPoint is posted free at usmwf.org. https://www.usmwf.org/powerpoints-and-safety-information.html
I use your feedback to make changes to make corrections.
--
John Newquist
815-354-6853
Tuesday, March 31, 2026
OSHA NEWS March 2026
OSHA News for April 2026
Hello,
It was a Busy month of dial-a-weather wheel. 79 degrees and blizzard all in 7 days
I looked at 40 “drowning” deaths from 2023 to 2025.
Here is exactly what is killing workers around water:
🚜 25% Mowing & Landscaping Rollovers: Zero-turn mowers and tractors getting too close to unguarded pond edges, rolling over, and pinning operators underwater.
⚓ 20% Falls from Marine Vessels & Docks: Workers on barges, docks, or bridges without U.S. Coast Guard-approved PFDs. A survivable slip instantly becomes fatal.
🚧 17.5% Heavy Equipment Entering Water: Skid steers, excavators, and UTVs driving off unguarded docks or rolling down embankments, trapping operators inside enclosed cabs.
⚙️ 12.5% Engulfment & Confined Space: Lift stations suddenly filling with water, flooded trenches, or burst valves. These are massive LOTO and isolation failures.
I can make a case to retire the OSHA trench emphasis program since there was 19 deaths. There were 50 deaths in the highway contractor fields in the last 12 months.
Mid March. Today a safety director said- "We are in litigation on a case involving an injured person. The plaintiff attorney asked for our safety program, training records, all audits, all daily job briefs, all photos, all emails, and tool box talks. He was aggressive in saying 4 tool box talks a year makes it hard to show we take safety serious"
This month PPT is Welding and hot work safety. I have not sent it out since 2018. Hot works has changed much since then.
Concrete pumpers can tip over high wind. Usually over 40 mph is the limit for many of these pumping machines. The manual will tell you though. safe wind speed.
122 people have passed BCSP Certification this year. Congrats!
John
OSHA News Update
1. OSHA worker Memorial Day Week https://www.osha.gov/workers-memorial-day
2. A Connecticut contractor faces three criminal charges, including first-degree manslaughter, following the death of a worker in a trench collapse.
Amilcar Deandrade, 51, the owner of Diamond Plumbing & Heating LLC of Norwich, is also charged with criminally negligent homicide and first-degree reckless endangerment.
The charges stem from a cave-in around 6 p.m. June 13 in Norwich. Michael DiRocco Sr., 60, of Norwich was partially buried in the trench, which was between 4 feet 10 inches to 5 feet 4 inches deep with vertical walls.
https://www.equipmentworld.com/regulations/safety-compliance/article/15819736/contractor-charged-with-manslaughter-after-trench-collapse-death
3. OH Ford worker dies in a press. OSHA investigating. https://www.wlwt.com/article/worker-dies-pinned-under-press-ford-motor-company-sharonville/70761214
4. Silicosis cases up in countertop mfr. CA has 529 silicosis cases, 29 deaths.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qflEQ3GR0nk
5. OSHA investigationg. Eight workers taken to the hospital at the Byron clean energy plant formerly known as Byron nuclear. They just said undisclosed chemical leaked in the turbine building.
6. Labor Department attorneys should refrain from pursuing legal enforcement in unionized workplaces, Labor Solicitor Jonathan Berry said in an internal memo reviewed by Bloomberg Law.
https://news.bloomberglaw.com/daily-labor-report/top-dol-lawyer-urges-relaxed-enforcement-in-union-workplaces
Other News
1) No one killed in Valero Explosion in TX
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/large-oil-refinery-explosion-texas-coast-forces-residents-shelter-plac-rcna264853
2) An initial summary from LyondellBasell officials published late Friday said the incident released over 15,000 pounds of the highly flammable asphyxiant n-butane, along with large volumes of isobutane and carbon monoxide. All personnel are safe and accounted for, and no off-site impact was expected, the company said.
After a unit upset at 7:45 p.m. Thursday, the plant's emergency flare system activated. But the company said that when the facility's valves opened to relieve pressure from tanks and columns full of flammable gases, "a piping fire occurred" near the continuous flare system.
Officials first hinted at what triggered the incident Friday morning: A "process upset" had resulted in the release of flammable product that was ignited by the pilot light of a flare operation, the Harris County Fire Marshal's Office said.
3) A proposal for a $20 billion data center campus outside Chicago has been recommended for approval by the local planning commission.
The project, known as the Joliet Technology Center, would be developed by PowerHouse Data Centers on a 795-acre site near S. Rowell Road and Bernhard Road.
Current plans include 24 two-story data center buildings, each offering around 144,500 sq ft, built across four phases. Each phase would also include the construction of a six-acre substation to support power requirements.
4) A Madison County jury has awarded $241,000,000 to the family of a man who died while transporting dry ice as part of his job as a courier. The verdict includes $49.5 million in compensatory and $191.5 million in punitive damages against the company.
https://www.salvilaw.com/press-release/prairie-farms-dairy-verdict-dry-ice/
OSHA CITATIONS 6/20/2025
This is discontinued
Safety Training at Non-Profits (Check Sites for Starting Dates)
OSHA 7115 Lockout online Apr 8
Harwood Grant Machine guard lockout Apr 6 2026 Naperville
Harwood Grant Machine guard lockout Apr 14 2026 Rockford
Harwood Grant Confined Space Fire Apr 23 2026 Naperville
OSHA 510 CSC Apr 6-9
OSHA 511 sold out Apr 1-4
For free Harwood grant training https://cpelearn.niu.edu/susan-harwood-training-grant-program/
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
I usually teach only 10-hour and the 500 series. I have taught 663 people this year. I teach evenings, weekends, and early mornings too. I teach in Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Ohio, and Indiana.
The PowerPoint is posted free at usmwf.org. https://www.usmwf.org/powerpoints-and-safety-information.html
I use your feedback to make changes to make corrections.
--
John Newquist
815-354-6853
Saturday, March 7, 2026
OSHA News February 2026
OSHA News for March 2026
Hello,
This month was nonstop classes. The car went thousands of miles. I got to teach 5 Harwood grant classes. Machine Guarding, Lockout, Fire, Confined Space and Silica.
It is good to see OSHA hiring. They have been down in staffing for a while. (See Osha #1)
I do not hear any evidence of OSHA relaxing enforcing at union facilities. (See OSHA #2)
One of my largest cases (See Other #2) just settled for $33 million. They picked the jury and settled after the opening.
Caroline Laatsh, devoted mother, public servant, athlete, and artist, passed away on March 1, 2026.
From 1987 to 1994, Caroline worked for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), where she was involved in significant enforcement cases concerning lead exposure and tuberculosis. Her work reflected her commitment to protecting workers and upholding the law with integrity and resolve.
This month PPT is From the Witness Stand. It was my speech at the Construction Safety Conference this year. It was good to talk with so many people and see the success of certification at the construction companies.
I had a good crowd at the Underground Contractors Association meeting. l covered the excavation safety review and talked about the accidents and common OSHA excavations citations.
I liked Joseph Zawacki, M.B.A., who did an outstanding job explaining how a large organization should evaluate the core competencies for its safety professionals.
A New England hospital was cited willful bloodborne. Live bloodborne training was required not CBT. I am requesting the citation under FOIA.
I found 17 trench deaths in 2025. Almost all of them had a spoil pile 6 ft high.
84 people have passed BCSP Certification this year. Congrats!
We got up in the 60’s this month!
John
OSHA News Update
1. OSHA is hiring
$50,000.
https://lnkd.in/g8t8KXNi
2. Labor Department attorneys should refrain from pursuing legal enforcement in unionized workplaces, Labor Solicitor Jonathan Berry said in an internal memo reviewed by Bloomberg Law.
https://news.bloomberglaw.com/daily-labor-report/top-dol-lawyer-urges-relaxed-enforcement-in-union-workplaces
3. Horizon Biofuels OSHA General Duty clause citation. Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 001 Hazard:
OSH ACT of 1970 Section 5(a)(1): The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to the hazards of explosion, deflagration, and fire by working in a wood pellet and animal bedding manufacturing facility without adequate controls to prevent or mitigate wood dust explosions, in that: a. On or about July 29, 2025, the employer operated Cresswood HF wood grinder, Bliss 442 hammermill, Surge mixer, and interior bucket elevators without controls to prevent ferrous metals from scrap wood from entering the equipment and creating sparks or heat, which can serve as an ignition source for an explosion, deflagration, or fire. b. On or about July 29, 2025, the employer operated Cresswood HF wood grinder, Bliss 442 hammermill, Surge mixer, and interior bucket elevators without controls to prevent hot equipment surfaces, such as from bearings on the Surge mixer and the bucket elevator, which can ignite wood dust particles, causing an explosion, deflagration, or fire. c. On or about July 29, 2025, the employer operated Cresswood HF wood grinder, Bliss 442 hammermill, Surge mixer, and interior bucket elevators without controls to prevent belt friction within the bucket elevators as a result of improper alignment of the belt, allowing it to rub against the enclosure, which can serve as an ignition source for an explosion, deflagration, or fire
4. Companies are buying knit 10 cal gloves vs the rubber gloves. I had not seen this before. It is comfortable. These are not shock protection and create a hazard if the shock hazard is present.
5. I found 45 specific arc flash incidents identified in the SIR 2025 data (not complete 2025).
An arc flash occurs when an electric current leaves its intended path and travels through the air from one conductor to another, or to the ground, often resulting in temperatures hotter than the surface of the sun and a violent pressure wave.
Here is the breakdown of these injuries by equipment:
Primary Sources of Arc Flashes
Switchboards, Panels, and Fuses (42%): 19 incidents. These typically occur during troubleshooting, voltage testing, or cleaning inside energized panels.
Power Lines and Transformers (29%): 13 incidents. These are often the most severe, involving high-voltage utility work.
Electrical Wiring & Parts (18%): 8 incidents. Often caused by accidental contact with hand tools or nails during construction.
6. Recordkeeping. Are using tweezer to remove a particle in the eyelid (not the eye) recordable?
Per OSHA now. What is first aid?
using irrigation, tweezers, cotton swab or other simple means to remove splinters or foreign material from areas other than the eye;
https://lnkd.in/g5kUSxBV
7. Cincinnati Food poultry plant explosion kills worker. Others hurt.
https://lnkd.in/gae7cu2J
8. OSHA staffing at record lows.
https://lnkd.in/gKv-DcgF
9. LAKE WORTH, FL – The U.S. Department of Labor has cited a Land O’ Lakes-based petroleum tank services contractor for exposing workers to chemical and respiratory hazards after an employee was fatally exposed to benzene and toluene when they entered a fuel storage tank at a Lake Worth worksite in July 2025
10. GIBSON CITY, ILL – Federal safety inspectors have found a central Illinois grain company endangered workers and violated federal law by failing to properly guard and lockout/tagout dangerous machinery during grain bin entry, which led to a seasonal laborer suffering a serious foot injury.
https://www.osha.gov/news/newsreleases/chicago/20260224
11. The department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration concluded United States Steel Corp. and MPW Industrial Services Inc. exposed workers at the Clairton Coke Works plant to unsafe working conditions including explosion, struck-by, and high-pressure injection hazards.
Federal safety inspectors determined that United States Steel Corp. failed to use required safety management and energy control practices for hazardous work involving flammable gas. OSHA also concluded that cleaning services contractor MPW Industrial Services failed to provide a relief valve for a high-pressure water system and did not coordinate energy control practices for hazardous work involving flammable gas.
OSHA cited United States Steel Corp. with seven serious and one other-than-serious violations and proposed $118,214 in penalties. The agency cited MPW Industrial Services Inc. with four serious and two other-than-serious violations and proposed $61,473 in penalties.
Other News
1) A record award for jury trial in Illinois in a worker-related death. It is always better to settle a case instead of taking it to the trial. Both sides win.
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/salvi-schostok-%26-pritchard_10-am-press-conference-a-madison-county-activity-7434221164392075264-E0SS?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAIBItABQBDPoUhLVeFxpTWAgr5E2vxyQDk
2) BEN CRANE and Ervin Nevitt of Coplan + Crane and Steven Groves and Caroline Alexander of Groves Powers secured a $33 million settlement for the family of a 29-year-old man who tragically died in Illinois as a result of a dangerous railroad maneuver called a “blind shove.”
“While nothing can replace the life that was lost, this settlement holds those responsible accountable and reinforces the importance of safety on our railroads,” said Ben Crane.
This settlement not only brings justice to the family but also shines a spotlight on the need for safe practices in railroads nationwide.
3. 1 killed, 2 injured when 8-story tower explodes in North Carolina, officials say
Read more at: https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/state/north-carolina/article314802230.html#storylink=cpy
4. Two dead in MI from confined space gases.
https://lnkd.in/guGkuHXa
5. In January 2026, ISO published ISO 3941:2026 and introduced Class L, a dedicated fire classification for fires involving lithium-ion cells and batteries where no metallic lithium is present.
Why this matters: Li-ion incidents are not “just another Class A/B scenario.” Thermal runaway, high energy density, toxic by-products, and the need for cooling/thermal control change both tactics and the way we evaluate extinguisher performance.
OSHA CITATIONS 6/20/2025
This is discontinued
Safety Training at Non-Profits (Check Sites for Starting Dates)
OSHA 3015 CSC Mar 16-18
Harwood Grant Rockford Feb 2
OSHA 500 CSC Mar 23-25
OSHA 511 Apr 1-4
For free Harwood grant training https://cpelearn.niu.edu/susan-harwood-training-grant-program/
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
I usually teach only 10-hour and the 500 series. I have taught 463 people this year. I teach evenings, weekends, and early mornings too. I teach in Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Ohio, and Indiana.
The PowerPoint is posted free at usmwf.org. https://www.usmwf.org/powerpoints-and-safety-information.html
I use your feedback to make changes to make corrections.
--
John Newquist
815-354-6853
Saturday, January 31, 2026
OSHA News January 2026
OSHA News for February 2026
Hello,
This month was doing all the hard classes this month. CHST certification class, Industrial Competent person rigging, Respirator Fit testing and annual training, and incident investigation for 84 people over three separate days, worker machine guarding,
This month are several OSHA classes. See the calendar at the end.
We lost Bob Lomastro this January. He served in the Navy as a Corpsman and brought his experience to teach electrical safety. I always learned from him and he knew Camtasia the software for capturing videos.
https://www.kristanfuneralhome.com/obituary/robert-lomastro
We lost Larken Akins in January. I met her at Fairview Heights as CSHO. She was always positive and worked hard. She eventually became Assistant Director Area Director in Milwaukee and Regional Safety and Health Manager. She become the OSHA safety and health manager. She ran a marathon, got her CSP and went to help in Ghana.
https://www.calahanfuneralhome.com/obituaries/larken-akins/#!/TributeWall
This month PPT is Most Cited Violation in General Industry. It is only in pdf.
We have not been above freezing since January 12, 2026. I am ready for warmer weather.
John
OSHA News Update
1. On July 1, 2025, OSHA proposed a rule to narrow the interpretation of the General Duty Clause, Section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act, specifically limiting its application to hazards that are inherent to certain professional activities. This revision aims to prevent citations for risks deemed inseparable from the core nature of jobs in sectors like entertainment, animal handling, motorsports, and high-risk performance.
2. OSHA has cited Horizon Biofuels Inc in Fremont, Neb., following a July 2025 wood-pellet plant explosion that killed three people. The agency issued citations for multiple "serious" violations, including hazards related to the control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout). The investigation into the fatal incident prompted these findings.
https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/01/30/osha-cites-horizon-biofuels-in-fremont-plant-explosion/
3. As of February 15, 2025, OSHA increased its maximum civil penalties as part of its mandatory annual inflation adjustment. This raised the maximum penalties to $16,550 for “serious” and “other-than-serious” violations, and $165,514 for “willful” or “repeated” violations.
4. OSHA has significantly sharpened its focus on high-injury workplaces with its updated Site-Specific Targeting (SST) inspection program. This directive uses your 300A data from 2021–2023 to decide who gets an unannounced visit.
The "Goldilocks" Problem: OSHA isn't just looking for high injury rates. They are looking for:
• Upward Trends: If your rates are climbing or exceed twice the private sector average.
• Unusually Low Rates: If your numbers look "too perfect," OSHA may trigger a "verify" inspection to check for underreporting or recordkeeping violations.
• Non-Responders: Failure to submit your 300A data for 2023 is now a nearly guaranteed way to get on the list. The Takeaway: Review your historical data now. If you fall into any of these categories, conduct a mock audit before the compliance officer knocks.
5. I’m thrilled to announce that Northern Illinois University (NIU) has been awarded a Susan Harwood Training Grant, and I’ll be personally leading three sessions throughout 2026. I will be teaching three critical workshops: ✅ Lockout/Tagout ✅ Machine Guarding ✅ Confined Spaces. This grant is specifically designed to support companies with fewer than 250 employees. If that’s you, this is a chance to get high-level, practical training for your team completely FREE.
Whether you need an in-person workshop or a tailored on-site session, the National Safety Education Center wants to help you strengthen your safety program.
Slots are limited. If you are a small business looking to level up your safety, click the link below!
https://cpelearn.niu.edu/susan-harwood-training-grant-program/
6. EASTON, CT — Federal workplace safety officials have proposed more than $1.2 million in penalties against Sound Construction Inc., an Easton-based concrete and earthwork contractor, following a follow-up inspection that found repeated violations related to trenching and excavation hazards.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration said the company willfully failed to protect workers from cave-ins and other excavation dangers. OSHA cited the employer after a June 12, 2025, inspection at a Sound Construction work site in Stamford, issuing seven willful and four serious violations.
The inspection followed a December 2023 investigation into a workplace fatality at a New Canaan site that resulted in the death of a Sound Construction worker. After that incident, OSHA cited the company for two willful and five serious violations. The agency also entered into a settlement agreement requiring the company’s owner to submit monthly lists of active work sites and allow random OSHA inspections to monitor compliance with trenching and excavation safety standards.
During the Stamford inspection, OSHA said inspectors found the company failed to train workers on trenching and excavation hazards, provide adequate protection from cave-ins, conduct required daily excavation inspections, follow trench shield installation standards, and properly backfill shields to prevent hazardous movement.
7. Electronic Submission Deadline: Beginning January 2, 2026, covered employers may start submitting their calendar year 2025 injury and illness data through the Injury Tracking Application (ITA).
8. Post the OSHA 300A Feb1 to Apr 30.
Other News
1) 47 died in the Swiss Ski Resort fire.
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/swiss-face-arduous-task-identifying-victims-deadly-bar-fire-2026-01-01/
2) Break a leg? Here what caused worker to break a leg in the last 12 months of data. May 1 2024 to April 30 2025
🥇 1. Vehicle & Mobile Equipment Interaction
(~29% of broken-leg cases)
Typical tasks involved
Working around or mounting/dismounting forklifts
Being struck or run over by trucks, carts, or mobile equipment
Foot/leg caught between vehicle and fixed object
Equipment roll-back or unexpected movement
🥈 2. Slips, Trips & Falls – Same Level
(~19% of broken-leg cases)
Typical tasks involved
Walking on uneven surfaces
Carrying materials while walking
Transitioning between surfaces (dock → floor, gravel → concrete)
Wet, icy, oily, or debris-covered walking areas
🥉 3. Falls From Elevation (Ladders / Scaffolds / Steps)
(~18% of broken-leg cases)
Typical tasks involved
Climbing ladders
Stepping off platforms
Descending stairs or equipment
Improper ladder placement or overreach
677 brokens legs in a year
~1.9 broken legs per day
~13 per week
3. Illinois lawmakers are pushing for new legislation that would require employers to protect workers from extreme heat and cold, days after a brutal cold snap forced thousands to work in subzero wind chills with no legal safeguards.
The Workplace Extreme Temperature Safety Act would establish clear temperature thresholds and require employers to provide warming stations, protective equipment, and rest breaks when temperatures drop below 32 degrees or rise above 80 to 90 degrees.
Illinois currently has no state law setting temperature limits for workplaces, leaving workers without union contracts vulnerable to frostbite, hypothermia, and other preventable cold-weather injuries.
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/new-push-protect-illinois-workers-from-extreme-cold-after-subzero-week
4. Co-op student killed by H2S at papermill
https://www.wmtw.com/article/umaine-student-dies-gas-incident-maine-pulp-mill/70186498?fbclid=IwY2xjawPreVNleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeeT3WJjTl5JVaZtsq-6uDPD6rXYzaS-VfEKKZfM3lQ2gES-0vWsZ6QYsqCvY_aem_wdGk9wAWMcM2Cae8UKjxHA
5. Bartlett Public worker in a snow plow hit and killed by metra train.
https://wgntv.com/news/chicago-news/metra-train-collides-with-snow-plow-driver-critically-injured-md-w-service-halted-near-bartlett/
6. Microsoft Propose 15 More Data Center Facilities in Mount Pleasant
In another clear sign of just how aggressively demand is accelerating, Microsoft has proposed a major expansion in Mount Pleasant that would add 15 new data centers across two additional campuses on top of the multibillion dollar investment already underway.
Originally announced as a 7 billion dollars+ development, the Mount Pleasant footprint was already one of the largest active data center projects in the region. The latest proposal pushes the scale even further and shows that cloud and AI infrastructure planning is now happening at mega campus levels rather than incremental phases.
7. Cleaning a mixer. Begging for help. No $10 lockout 99.9% of the time.
https://people.com/father-dies-after-getting-trapped-in-chemical-mixer-at-work-11885820
8. AUGUSTA, ME (WGME) — Two state workers are dead and another is injured after a horrific crash in Waterville Tuesday morning. State police say a Maine DOT crew had closed a southbound lane on I-95 to work on an overpass when a driver allegedly cut off a tractor-trailer truck before striking the workers. Governor Janet Mills said Tuesday that Maine DOT workers put themselves in harm’s way every day. State police say the DOT crew set up a temporary stop sign at the end of the southbound on-ramp, leading to a single lane on I-95, but it didn’t prevent a woman from driving into the path of a tractor-trailer. The two victims who were killed have been identified as Waterville residents James Brown, 60, and Dwayne Campbell, 51.
https://fox23maine.com/news/local/crash-shuts-down-i-95-in-waterville-maine-state-police-traffic-travel
OSHA CITATIONS 6/20/2025
This is discontinued
Safety Training at Non-Profits (Check Sites for Starting Dates)
OSHA 7500 Naperville Feb 6
OSHA 510 CSC Feb 2-5
Harwood Grant Rockford Feb 2
OSHA 511 Online Feb 9-12
OSHA 7205 Naperville Feb 13
OSHA 7300 CSC Feb 10
OSHA 7845 Feb 20
CSC Silica Grant Feb 23
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
I usually teach only 10-hour and the 500 series. I have taught 140 people this year. I teach evenings, weekends, and early mornings too. I teach in Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Ohio, and Indiana.
The PowerPoint is posted free at usmwf.org. https://www.usmwf.org/powerpoints-and-safety-information.html
I use your feedback to make changes to make corrections.
--
John Newquist
815-354-6853
Saturday, January 3, 2026
OSHA News DEcember 2025
OSHA News for December 2025
Hello,
OSHA is doing enforcement despite being down 20%. Some more office consolidations will occur in 2026. There are numerous employer phone calls from all the letters sent for verification of abatement. The calls did not drop 20% like the staffing.
Some lockout data
May 1 2024-Apr 30 2025. Severe Injury Reports.
•Total lockout-related incidents identified: 481
•These incidents involve situations where energy control, unexpected startup, or jam clearing were part of the incident sequence
Jam clearing was the #1 cause.
49% of all lockout-related injuries resulted in an amputation.
🥇 Conveyors (All Types Combined)
🥈 Packaging / Wrapping / Bundling Machinery
🥉 Metal / Woodworking Machinery (Saws, Cutters, Presses)
4️⃣ Stamping / Press Machinery (Non-Printing)
This month’s PowerPoint is Most Cited Construction. I only got a pdf version so it will do for now.
Electronic Submission Deadline: Beginning January 2, 2026, covered employers may start submitting their calendar year 2025 injury and illness data through the Injury Tracking Application (ITA).
https://www.osha.gov/injuryreporting
We had 221 people get certified in 2025.
Stay warm!
John
OSHA News Update
1) Over the weekend, OSHA published FOUR NEW letters of interpretation (LOIs) that help clarify OSHA requirements found in OSHA safety standards:
Clarification of "as free as practicable" lead contamination on surfaces https://lnkd.in/eJSC82GV
Electrical Busway Hot Swappable Plug-In Units https://lnkd.in/eQRAkN7m
Whether the respiratory protection medical evaluation may consider factors beyond respirator use https://lnkd.in/eszA5ptM
140 decibels (dB) impact/impulse policy under the noise standard https://lnkd.in/eDVXMQwS
2) Private equity firm acquires Maricopa Pizza Co. Maricopa was cited $2.9 million on lockout death.
https://www.meatpoultry.com/articles/30749-private-equity-firm-acquires-miracapo-pizza-co
3) Naperville IL OSHA wins dismissal of Late notice of contest.
You have 15 days to contest.
The Court finds OSHA, as well as this Court, have conveyed due notice to Respondent of its procedural rights and provided ample warning that its failure to comply with Court orders 9 may result in the dismissal of its Notice of Contest
https://www.oshrc.gov/wp-content/uploads/595-Construction-LLC-OSHRC-Nos-25-0120-25-0121-25-0122-REDACTED.pdf
4) OSHA TOP Cited by National Safety Council.
https://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/articles/27597-the-most-frequently-cited-standards-in-fy-2025
5) A trenching company removed the safety latch on the quick coupler and ended up killing an employee
https://www.kptv.com/2025/12/04/vancouver-construction-company-fined-over-170k-after-worker-crushed-by-excavator-bucket/
6) $1.2M Fine for Trenching Violations: OSHA proposed more than $1.2 million in fines against an Easton, Connecticut, earthwork contractor for willfully failing to protect workers from cave-in and excavation hazards after a follow-up inspection.
https://www.osha.gov/news/newsreleases/boston/20251215
7) $1M Fine in Vegetable Processing Fatality: A New Jersey vegetable processing facility faces a proposed penalty of over $1 million following a worker fatality during machine cleaning. The onsite temporary agency was also cited for failing to train workers on lockout/tagout.
https://www.osha.gov/news/newsreleases/osha-national-news-release/20251124
8) $986K Fine for Idaho Manufacturer: A transformer manufacturer in Pocatello, Idaho, was cited for over $986,000 for repeatedly exposing workers to serious safety hazards.
https://www.osha.gov/news/newsreleases/san-francisco/20251208
9) Ohio Bakery Citation: A commercial bakery in Columbus, Ohio, was cited for repeat and serious violations involving chemical, "caught-in," and "struck-by" hazards.
https://www.osha.gov/news/newsreleases/chicago/20251216
Other News
1) 47 died in the Swiss Ski Resort fire.
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/swiss-face-arduous-task-identifying-victims-deadly-bar-fire-2026-01-01/
2) Break a leg? Here what caused worker to break a leg in the last 12 months of data. May 1 2024 to April 30 2025
🥇 1. Vehicle & Mobile Equipment Interaction
(~29% of broken-leg cases)
Typical tasks involved
Working around or mounting/dismounting forklifts
Being struck or run over by trucks, carts, or mobile equipment
Foot/leg caught between vehicle and fixed object
Equipment roll-back or unexpected movement
🥈 2. Slips, Trips & Falls – Same Level
(~19% of broken-leg cases)
Typical tasks involved
Walking on uneven surfaces
Carrying materials while walking
Transitioning between surfaces (dock → floor, gravel → concrete)
Wet, icy, oily, or debris-covered walking areas
🥉 3. Falls From Elevation (Ladders / Scaffolds / Steps)
(~18% of broken-leg cases)
Typical tasks involved
Climbing ladders
Stepping off platforms
Descending stairs or equipment
Improper ladder placement or overreach
677 brokens legs in a year
~1.9 broken legs per day
~13 per week
3) J&J Ordered to Pay Over $1.5 Billion in Asbestos Talc Lawsuit
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/j-j-ordered-pay-over-130900329.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAMkfQfxfXl9kEMMQwyzuMdZLJ7HLAS5WDt4l_foOaaGVHpkw_Cyk0CoAbg4_FBt1e8CidkWJaVAABqYjMUUFPzZ3tGVWtTHjy3_wB0M8RoZc0ur3X_8N5cE0fP581eNoHerYPExkuE-8NB5gEqWCjyyiF78lYwTvxTGkqhXLLmUp
4) The $15 million clamp on the ground
N.J. man awarded $15.5M after being injured by flying construction debris
https://www.nj.com/hunterdon/2025/12/nj-man-awarded-155m-after-being-injured-by-flying-construction-debris.html
OSHA CITATIONS 6/20/2025
This is discontinued
Safety Training at Non-Profits (Check Sites for Starting Dates)
OSHA 511 Virtual Jan 12-15
OSHA 500 CSC Jan 20-23
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
I usually teach only 10-hour and the 500 series. I have taught 24730 people this year. I teach evenings, weekends, and early mornings too. I teach in Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Ohio, and Indiana.
The PowerPoint is posted free at usmwf.org. https://www.usmwf.org/powerpoints-and-safety-information.html
I use your feedback to make changes to make corrections.
--
John Newquist
815-354-6853
Sunday, November 30, 2025
OSHA NEws November 2025
OSHA News for November 2025
Hello,
Here are a few options for your newsletter intro.
I spent many hours this month creating daily BCSP quizzes. I cover a topic every day and provide three knowledge checks. This allows those studying for certification to learn more about a specific topic rather than just getting a general overview. Here is one on ISO 45001.
https://youtu.be/47Y_1e3yfB8
This month’s deposition involved another large case between a $60 billion owner, a $750 million logistics company, and a fatality involving a truck driver. It is another multi-employer case. I doubt the case will go to trial because the two big entities are subtly blaming each other.
New OSHA Head Dave Keeling is back in the OSHA building and working with the staff following the return from the shutdown.
This month’s PowerPoint is on Hoisting Personnel via Cranes. I added to the crane class, as I am seeing more and more people being lifted by suspended platforms.
NIU received an OSHA Harwood Grant to teach Confined Space, Machine Guarding, Lockout, Fire Protection, PPE, and Warehouse Safety. The Construction Safety Council also received a grant to teach Silica, Fall Protection, and Electrical.
I want to thank the 20 Amazon Safety professionals for attending my NSEC ASP/CSP prep class this month. Good luck!
I identified 182 fall deaths in the 25 federal states for 2024, down slightly from 189 last year. Ladder deaths dropped from 41 last year to 21 this year. Roofs led the way with 35 deaths.
OSHA has combined the Seattle and San Francisco Regions into a large San Francisco Region.
I did an hour-long podcast with Steve Lindley of Ozinga. It was a great conversation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uYAQ19nc40&t=22s
We had 22 people get certified in November.
With winter here, focus on protecting your outdoor and exposed indoor workers from cold stress:
• Cold-Related Illnesses: Remember to train workers on the symptoms of hypothermia, frostbite, and trench foot.
• Best Practices: Emphasize the importance of wearing waterproof, insulated boots and layers of clothing, and moving to warmer locations during breaks. Implement a buddy system to monitor workers for signs of cold stress.
John
OSHA News Update
New PPE Construction Rule
1. A major final rule update is taking effect soon. The revised Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) rule for Construction has an effective date of January 13, 2025.
• The Mandate: The rule mandates that all PPE used in construction must "properly fit" each affected employee.
• The Impact: This change addresses long-standing concerns—particularly for women and workers with diverse body types—where ill-fitting equipment compromises safety and increases injury risk.
• Action Item: Now is the time to assess your current PPE inventory and engage with suppliers to ensure you have a range of sizes to fully accommodate your
2. OSHA continues to issue massive penalties for LOTO failures, emphasizing its severity:
• $1 Million+ Fine: The U.S. Department of Labor recently proposed a fine of more than $1 million to a New Jersey vegetable processing facility following a worker fatality. The citations were for willfully and repeatedly violating LOTO (Control of Hazardous Energy) safety requirements. LOTO remains a critical hazard area where enforcement is absolute. Inspectors determined that Taylor Farms, a subsidiary of Taylor Fresh Foods Inc., failed to implement proper lockout/tagout procedures to protect workers from severe injuries during sanitation activities.
3. A recent industry survey revealed a significant shift in what workers view as their biggest safety concerns:
• New Priorities: Workers now rank health outbreaks and mental health crises or burnout as higher safety concerns than physical injury on the job.
• The Shift: This highlights the changing definition of workplace safety, which now includes the emotional and mental well-being of the workforce. Safety professionals must prepare to integrate mental health support into core occupational health programs.
4. The NIU received an OSHA Harwood Grant to teach Confined Space, Machine Guarding, Lockout, Fire Protection, PPE and Warehouse Safety.
https://www.usaspending.gov/award/ASST_NON_25F50SH000208_1601
5. Top cited OSHA standards in 21 hashtag#state hashtag#plans (2023-2024):
1. Alaska - Electrical - Space About Electrical Equipment
2. Arizona - Hazard Communication - Training
3. California - Injury and Illness Prevention Program
4. Hawaii - Fall Protection (Residential Construction)
5. Indiana - Machine Guarding
6. Iowa - Forms - OSHA 300 Log
7. Kentucky - Obligations of Employers
8. Maryland - Fall Protection - Certification of Training
9. Michigan - Accident Prevention Program
10. Minnesota - Work Place Programs
11. Nevada - Machine Guarding - Types of Guarding
12. New Mexico - Portable Extinguisher - Monthly Visual Inspection
13. North Carolina - Fall Protection (Residential Construction)
14. Oregon - Safety Committees and Safety Meetings
15. South Carolina - Fall Protection - Unprotected Sides and Edges
16. Tennessee - Hazard Communication - Written Program
17. Utah - Reporting Requirements
18. Vermont - Fall Protection - Training Program
19. Virginia - Medical Services and First Aid
20. Washington - Fall Protection (Residential Construction)
21. Wyoming - Fall Protection - Training Program
Other News
1) 146 died in Hong Kong Fire. Scaffold and debris netting caught on fire.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp34yk7z6yxo
2) Worker died when car came off a lift in Waukegan.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/man-dies-being-crush-vehicle-wauconda-auto-repair-shop-hard-times-liberty-street-police-say/18208956/
3) he family of 20-year-old Amber Czech held her funeral this weekend, after her coworker allegedly beat her to death earlier this month.
David Delong, 40, faces second-degree murder charges in her death for allegedly hitting her with a sledgehammer at their workplace, a manufacturing facility in Cokato.
https://www.mprnews.org/story/2025/11/24/amber-czech-killing-judge-orders-mental-evaluation
4) Worker dies in MA trench Collapse
https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2025/11/18/workers-trapped-in-yarmouth-trench-collapse/?amp=1
5) Man dies in workplace accident at Clinton nuclear power plant
CLINTON, IL (25News Now) – A man was killed on Friday while working on an electrical transformer at the Clinton Clean Energy Center in DeWitt County. Deputy Coroner David Allhands told 25News the man, believed to be in his late 20s, was electrocuted and pronounced dead at the scene. Plant owner Constellation Energy Corporation released a statement saying the man was employed by a contractor. Samuel Ward, 29, of Decatur, was pronounced dead at the scene at 2:45 p.m. In a news release, Rice said an autopsy was scheduled for Monday, Nov. 17. The incident happened about 2 p.m.
6) ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) -Over 300 people attended a town hall meeting Tuesday night at the Spencer Road Library branch in St. Peters to discuss eligibility for compensation through the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA).
The RECA legislation, passed by Congress earlier this year, compensates people sickened by exposure to radioactive material from nuclear bomb tests, uranium mining or Manhattan Project waste improperly stored in the St. Louis region.
For years, uranium was processed for nuclear weapons at a site in Weldon Spring. That location is now an EPA Superfund site.
https://www.firstalert4.com/2025/10/15/town-hall-informs-st-charles-residents-about-eligibility-reca/
7) Post office worker found dead in a mailing machine in Michigan
https://www.foxnews.com/us/usps-worker-found-dead-inside-mailing-machine-michigan-deeply-saddened-loss
8. A fiery MD-11 plane crash on November 4 in Louisville, Kentucky, killed 14 people and injured at least 23 when the left engine detached during takeoff. Cargo carriers grounded their McDonnell Douglas MD-11 fleets shortly after, ahead of a directive from the FAA.
https://www.cnn.com/2025/11/28/us/ups-planes-grounded-crash-delivery-season-hnk
9) Ken Kolosh of NSC - Forklift-related injuries are also cross-categorized by event type, most often as either a transportation incident or contact with object or equipment incident. Forklifts were the source of 67 work-related deaths in 2023 and 24,960 DART cases that include 15,480 DAFW cases in 2021-2022.
OSHA CITATIONS 6/20/2025
No updates
Safety Training at Non-Profits (Check Sites for Starting Dates)
OSHA 510 CSC Virtual Dec 8-11
OSHA 502 CSC Dec 15-17
OSHA 7215 CSC Nov 12
NIU 4 Hour Safety Management Nov 22
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
I usually teach only 10-hour and the 500 series. I have taught 2460 people this year. I teach evenings, weekends, and early mornings too. I teach in Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Ohio, and Indiana.
The PowerPoint is posted free at usmwf.org. https://www.usmwf.org/powerpoints-and-safety-information.html
I use your feedback to make changes to make corrections.
--
John Newquist
815-354-6853
Sunday, November 2, 2025
OSHA News October 2025
OSHA News for October 2025
Hello,
It was non stop legal this month. An 8 hour Deposition and two reports covering cases of thousands of pages were highlights this month. Another tough deposition awaits this month.
The Facebook algorithm banned me saying I violated terms of service. I moved everything to Linked in and YouTube. Safety really belonged on LinkedIn. I have been able to bring 5000 of my Facebook safety professionals to LinkedIn now.
I finished a great ASP/CSP prep class over 5 days for Amazon in October.. They will have over 100 certified safety professionals by the end of 2026.
VT rated the top helmets for safety. Milwaukee and others were #1. https://www.helmet.beam.vt.edu/construction-helmet-ratings.html
$32 million slip and fall verdict at Exxon Mobil Joliet.
https://101theeagle.com/illinois-truck-driver-injury-lawsuit/
Jonathan Snare joins the OSHA Review commission. He was head of OSHA 20 years ago.
Construction security is the ppt for the month. With the price of tools running in the hundreds and copper over $5 a pound, the thefts are tempting for an unguarded construction site.
We had 29 get certified in October.
Happy Thanksgiving. Moderation!
John
OSHA News Update
1. David Keeling Confirmed as New OSHA Head
David Keeling has been confirmed as the new head of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Keeling, a former safety executive at Amazon and UPS, is expected to bring a business-friendly approach, prioritizing cooperation with employers. Under his leadership, experts anticipate the agency will finalize a national heat safety rule, likely in a more flexible format. This shift is also expected to narrow the use of OSHA's "general duty" enforcement clause, a prospect that concerns worker advocates about the agency's ability to hold companies accountable for complex hazards like ergonomics.
2. OSHA Revises Enforcement Manual to Reduce Penalties for Small Businesses
On July 14, 2025, Assistant Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling announced significant revisions to OSHA’s Field Operations Manual (FOM), primarily focusing on penalty reductions for small employers. These changes significantly expand eligibility and increase the maximum available penalty cuts:
Key Changes to Penalty Reductions
• Expanded Small Employer Eligibility: The eligibility threshold for penalty reductions has been substantially raised. For most violations, employers with up to 25 employees are now eligible for up to a 70 percent reduction in penalties. Previously, this reduction was available only to employers with 10 or fewer employees.
• Increased Willful Violation Reduction: For the most severe (willful-serious) violations, the penalty reduction can be as high as 80 percent for those with 20 or fewer employees. A sliding scale is available for employers with up to 50 employees.
The FOM revisions introduce several new or revised penalty reduction incentives:
• Safety and Health Management Systems (SHMS): Small employers can receive up to a 25 percent penalty reduction for demonstrating effective SHMS, even if the system is not fully documented in writing. A 15 percent reduction is available for systems found to have only minor deficiencies.
• Clean History: Employers with a clean inspection history over the past five years, or those who have never been inspected, are eligible for a 20 percent reduction. This reduction, however, can be withheld at the area director’s discretion in certain cases, such as recent serious violations.
• Immediate Correction: Small employers can receive a 15 percent penalty reduction if they immediately and permanently correct hazards identified during an inspection. This incentive applies to other-than-serious, low-gravity serious, and moderate-gravity serious violations, but it is not available for high-gravity, willful, or repeated
Other News
1. Three hurt at JFK airport construction.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/3-hospitalized-jfk-airport-construction-195014862.html
2. Remote workers have less injuries.
https://www.ncci.com/Articles/Documents/Remote-Work-and-Workers-Compensation-Frequency.pdf
3. H2S killed the six workers at the dairy farm in August.
https://www.foxnews.com/us/coroner-identifies-cause-death-6-who-collapsed-colorado-dairy-farm
4. Concrete collapse in NY hurts four workers.
https://pix11.com/news/local-news/construction-workers-fall-through-partially-collapsed-floor-in-brooklyn-officials/
5. Truck driver electrocuted in IL
https://wgntv.com/news/northwest-suburbs/semi-truck-driver-electrocuted-in-mchenry-county-farming-accident/
6. Worker hurt falling from the scoreboard at the Steeler Stadium.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/worker-injured-falling-50-feet-acrisure-stadium-scoreboard-pittsburgh-pennsylvania/18077000/
7. Boston crane collapses two.
https://www.wcvb.com/article/crane-collapse-everett/69149703
8. Worked dies in fall at excavation site.
https://abc7ny.com/post/construction-worker-critical-falling-work-site-hudson-yards-nyc/18061681/
9. Truck Driver in IL killed by train.
https://wgntv.com/western-suburbs/crash-involving-train-vehicle-shuts-down-road-in-west-suburbs/
10. 16 dead in TN explosion
https://abcnews.go.com/US/tennessee-explosives-plant-manufacturer-explosion/story?id=126405185
OSHA CITATIONS 6/20/2025
No updates
Safety Training at Non-Profits (Check Sites for Starting Dates)
OSHA 7205 Health Naperville Nov 17
OSHA 7505 Incident Investigation Nov 18
OSHA 3115 CSC Nov 3-5
OSHA 500 CSC Nov 17-20
OSHA 7215 CSC Nov 12
NIU 4 Hour Fall PRotection Nov 24
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
I usually teach only 10-hour and the 500 series. I have taught 2460 people this year. I teach evenings, weekends, and early mornings too. I teach in Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Ohio, and Indiana.
The PowerPoint is posted free at usmwf.org. https://www.usmwf.org/powerpoints-and-safety-information.html
I use your feedback to make changes to make corrections.
--
John Newquist
815-354-6853
Tuesday, September 30, 2025
OSHA News September 2025
OSHA News for September 2025
Hello,
This month were several hours working on projects for different associations. Everyone likes data that is specific to their sector. The ppt for the month will show some of that.
This Month's PowerPoint: Industrial Warehouse Safety
I made one in March 2009 and have not updated it until now. OSHA Ed Centers offer it twice a year and there are plenty of people who want to teach it.
I finally finished the Scaffold Competent Person and OSHA Regulation Book. It is more a labor of love about the topic. I am waiting for my author copies. https://www.amazon.com/Scaffold-Competent-Person-Handbook-Regulations/dp/B0FRZ5YCTB/ref=sr_1_1?crid=38KXLSU2LFXP4&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.RimTfelntoCO9_f5vyOlZkAUcSOj2Ujaq7Jz2pg6E58vB-KAcGHit9wTKbOv1s71.NvxnWDGnjbPcJy6jNUOQI9sGcrm8NB6mj-7Suc5QbKk&dib_tag=se&keywords=scaffold+competent+person&qid=1759004593&s=books&sprefix=scaffold+competent+person%2Cstripbooks%2C267&sr=1-1
Tom was Instrumental in pushing Construction Safety in the Chicagoland area when everyone was focusing on industrial safety in the early 1990s. The CSC was the first place to push the 10 hour class and other training. Today most workers in the area have several classes in construction safety. The Midwest has less construction fatalities than most areas. Thanks Tom.
https://www.fassbenderswansonhansen.com/obituaries/Thomas-Alan-Broderick?obId=45571962&fbclid=IwY2xjawNFKuFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHvEIcUzCjn9MoeKOMCVq5ULTWO8FyOAs7dciI59dD-Gd756rzhIaDuqNRejn_aem_LO9oruzK-zglBoE3u1B81g#/obituaryInfo
The Construction Safety Council is hiring a program manager.
Do you enjoy working on a professional and collaborative team?
Do you support training today’s construction workforce to remain safe on the job?
Are you skilled in managing multiple priorities effectively?
Are marketing/outreach strategies in your skillset?
If YES, then this employment opportunity is right for you!
Manager of Programming and Marketing
Work Schedule
Monday thru Friday: 7:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., with option to choose one day per week to work remotely.
Key Aspects of the Job
• Build relationships with new and existing clients to ensure continuity of training services and support.
• Manage open enrollment and private classes that require scheduling and marketing.
• Maintain training calendar of on-site and off-site program offerings.
• Manage inventory of training materials and tradeshow supplies.
• Process billing and control operational costs related to training delivery.
• Identify and develop new educational program ideas that are timely and topical to the target audience.
• Create marketing materials to effectively promote the year-round training calendar.
• Manage social media activity, website content, and the online student registration management system.
• Attend tradeshows, conferences, and industry meetings to enhance brand awareness and outreach.
Employment Benefits
• Competitive Salary
• Medical and Dental Insurance
• Long-Term Disability and Life Insurance
• Paid Time Off and Holidays
• Employer Match of Individual Contribution to Simple IRA
• Friendly, Service-Oriented Staff
• Opportunities for Professional Development
• Mission-Focused Workplace
Qualifications and Skills
• Bachelor’s degree in a related field or an equivalent combination of education and experience in a non-profit organization or for-profit training role.
• Minimum of five years of experience in managing and marketing educational programs; construction industry or safety training experience is ideal.
• Ability to manage competing priorities, be attentive to detail, and work in a small office environment.
• Experienced in managing website content; skilled in writing promotional copy.
• Knowledge of instructional design, e-learning, and emerging training technologies is a plus.
• Ability to think strategically and analytically, as well as be self-directed in daily responsibilities.
• Strong customer service and communication skills - both oral and written.
• Skilled in all Microsoft 365 applications.
• Willingness to travel and engage in off-hour activities, upon advance notice.
Apply Now
Submit a letter of interest and resume to Patti Romero, CSC Business Manager: promero@buildsafe.org.
We had 27 get certified in September. BCSP raised the score to pass the ASP by 20 points!
Enjoy the nice Fall weather.
John
OSHA News Update
1. The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) has voted to send President Trump’s nomination of David Keeling as Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health to the full Senate for confirmation.
2. OSHA Budget will be: $632.3 million — level funding compared to FY 2025, including support for programs such as the Voluntary Protection Programs and Susan Harwood Training Grants.
3. 1910.151(b) Adequate first aid supplies shall be readily available. Do you require a tourniquet to be in the first aid kit?
OSHA doesn't mandate specific tourniquet requirements but requires adequate first aid supplies based on workplace hazards, leading to the adoption of the ANSI/ISEA Z308.1 standard for tourniquets. The current ANSI standard requires any tourniquet included in a workplace first-aid kit to be at least 1.5 inches wide, effective on limbs from 7 to 33 inches in circumference, and use a ratchet or windlass for tightening.
4. Changes to long-standing OSHA training grant program
For fiscal year 2025, OSHA is awarding Targeted Topics Training Susan Harwood Grants to only three types of entities: OSHA On-Site Consultation Programs, OSHA State Plans, and OSHA Training Institute (OTI) Education Centers. This ensures appropriated funds are allocated efficiently and effectively by the end of the fiscal year, the agency says.
5. Fifth Circuit court of appeals ruled against Mar Jac Poultry in the horrible death of a worker who was killed by one of the most dangerous machines in that plant. This was the first of two deaths in that plant in a few years related to dangerous equipment. Here is my interview about the case. Bravo for OSHA for this win.
https://www.wjtv.com/news/pine-belt/court-supports-osha-in-mar-jac-safety-violation-case/
Other News
1. Three Police officers killed in PA.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NV2-MObddFk&fbclid=IwY2xjawNFQ9ZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHsObJmCKLkfWc1AfFNp2S0v7IC2pzZ5ZRrmZ0Uh92sfqZTILaADi1q0H5AC-_aem_Au0YAcvshO9yS-XfRzP9sA
2.
OSHA CITATIONS 6/20/2025
No updates
Safety Training at Non-Profits (Check Sites for Starting Dates)
OSHA 7845 Recordkeeping Naperville Sep 12
OSHA 510 CSC Oct 6-9
OSHA 502 CSC Oct 14-16
OSHA 511 Oct 20-23
OSHA 2264 Oct 27-29
NIU 4 Hour Confined Online Oct 30
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
I usually teach only 10-hour and the 500 series. I have taught 2460 people this year. I teach evenings, weekends, and early mornings too. I teach in Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Ohio, and Indiana.
The PowerPoint is posted free at usmwf.org. https://www.usmwf.org/powerpoints-and-safety-information.html
I use your feedback to make changes to make corrections.
--
John Newquist
815-354-6853
Saturday, August 30, 2025
OSHA NEws August 2025
OSHA News for August 2025
Hello,
August was a month of tragic deaths in confined space.
Aug 28, 2025 Three dead in TX confined space.
Aug 21, 2025 Six dead in CO confined space.
Aug 21 2026 73 year man dies in IL confined space
This Month's Powerpoint: Ethanol Plant Safety. I made one in 2009 and updated to this year. Numerous ethanol plant explosions in the last 25 years.
It was good to see the OSHA people at the Lockout training in Naperville and catch up with current events.
I am running into odd issues for lockout. I got involved in a Safety Bypass Work Permit to replace a safety device. We are using a forming of machine guarding to eliminate exposure while we wait for the parts to come in.
One company went with Mips ANSI Class 2 Helmets.
MIPS, which stands for Multi-directional Impact Protection System, is a safety technology designed to reduce rotational forces that can be transmitted to the brain during angled impacts. It consists of a low-friction layer, often a thin plastic liner, placed inside a helmet between the padding and the helmet shell. When an impact occurs at an angle, this layer allows the helmet to slide a small amount (10-15 mm) relative to the head, redirecting and absorbing some of the rotational energy. This movement is intended to reduce the risk of concussions and more severe brain injuries.
What are the common NFPA 70E issues that you see for industrial locations?
1. No arc flash barrier.
2. No annual arc flash observation
3. No retraining in NFPA 70E
4. No electrical safety work permit.
5. No job hazard analysis for electrical work.
6. Not wearing arc flash PPE for testing
7. No first aid CPR AED training
Predictivesafety.com has fatigue alertness screens and monitors to tell if a work is too tired. Anyone have experience with this type of solution?
One of the largest insurance companies for worker comp said 2025 has been many injuries with mobile equipment and industry workers. Forklifts, pallet jack, moving carts etc. They are pushing forklifts to have safety devices such as red lights for side 2 Foot rule, Blue light front and back. Annual forklift operator training with how to secure loads. Annual certification review for powered pallet jacks. Conduct manual pallet jack training. 35 pound pull push on carts that have to be moved.
$40 million at stake and the GC young safety person responds in deposition.
Q Any OSHA certifications, OSHA 10 or anything?
A No, sir.
You are the boss of a company. You can't put your signature on the safety program that you paid a consultant to do and you do not know anything about the program. Then there is boss's admission.
Q. Was there a reason for creating this Safety Program?
A. I don't recall why.
September!
ASSP Chicagoland Safety, Health & Environmental Conference in Naperville:
Dates: September 15-17, 2025.
Location: Naperville, IL.
Keynote Speaker: Mayor Scott A. Wehrli, focusing on "The Cognitive E-Stop – When Safety and Culture Collide".
Expo: The Business Expo is scheduled for Wednesday, September 17, 2025, from 10:00 am to 4:30 pm, with set-up and break-down times around this period.
https://chisafetyconf.org/
We have 48 get certified in August.
Enjoy the nice Fall weather.
John
OSHA News Update
1. OSHA added 33 new NAICS Codes to its recently renewed Hazardous Machinery (Amputations) National Emphasis Program. Some include.
1) 311224 - Soybean and other oilseed processing
2) 311312 - Beet sugar manufacturing]
3) 311314 - Cane sugar manufacturing
4) 311412 - Frozen specialty food manufacturing
5) 311421 - Fruit and vegetable canning
6) 311942 - Spice and extract manufacturing
7) 312111 - Soft drink manufacturing
2. California Ranch Foods, a subsidiary of Golden West Food Group, pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts after being criminally charged in connection with the 2020 deaths of two workers fatally exposed to nitrogen gas.
https://www.dir.ca.gov/DIRNews/2025/2025-80.html#:~:text=Los%20Angeles%E2%80%94California%20Ranch%20Foods,fatally%20exposed%20to%20nitrogen%20gas.
3. Two dead at US Steel. Here are several historical examples of violent explosions at steel mills, categorized by cause.
Molten Metal & Water 💧🔥
When water contacts molten metal, it flashes to steam instantly.
Scunthorpe, England (1975): Torpedo car breached water main; steam blast killed 11.
Weirton, WV, USA (1967): Water in slag pot; 2 killed.
J&L Steel, PA, USA (1951): Water leak in open-hearth furnace; 6 killed.
Combustible Dust 💥💨
Fine dust ignites and triggers chain blasts.
Hoogovens, NL (1996 & 2020): Coal/coke dust explosions and emissions.
Imperial Sugar, GA, USA (2008): 14 killed; classic dust blast, same risk for steel mills.
Flammable Gas ⛽️💥
Gas leaks ignite.
Port Talbot, Wales (2019): Molten metal train gas ignition.
Bethlehem Steel, IN, USA (1994): Furnace “bleed-out” killed 2; gas expansion & ignition.
https://www.wtae.com/article/us-steel-clairton-plant-explosion/65654312
4. Up to 20 years in prison for ex OSHA IH.
https://www.masslive.com/news/2025/08/former-mass-osha-worker-charged-with-fraudulently-obtaining-unemployment-benefits.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawMgZF1leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHgqDQp6PRBlKl8ywDe8UM62nka7ytmr2-DQspmgoYfkpGBn1WvT9sCGZX9nR_aem_edFMXW5_xyV1mrxY4QIVlw
5. On September 30, 2024, a Travis County grand jury indicted D Guerra Construction LLC and Carlos Alejandro Guerrero, 37, a Project Superintendent employed by D Guerra Construction LLC, for the offense of Criminal Negligent Homicide, a state jail felony.
https://districtattorney.traviscountytx.gov/travis-county-district-attorney-secures-guilty-plea-corporate-defendant-workers-death/?fbclid=IwY2xjawMgZHZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHrLx3fsFJ7h7X2tRCanIZZfIlVpcS51kodCB-eQHRdhtkzEAMnEf0juMDIwo_aem_ZjFdTjhP1efBl4aE7UG06Q
Other News
1. Six dead in CO confined space.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/colorado-dairy-accident-6-bodies-recovered-weld-county-no-details-released-deaths/17607907/
2. Watseka worker killed by overhear door.
https://www.wandtv.com/news/illinois/worker-killed-by-overhead-door-at-watseka-warehouse-over-weekend/article_150305d6-a41b-40d2-951e-a92c0a6e391c.html
3. Three dead in TX confined space. https://www.khou.com/article/news/local/sheriffs-office-3-workers-from-houston-area-killed-in-gas-leak-in-trinity-county/501-642ea81b-fff0-4e55-99d7-fdd40a2e74c3?fbclid=IwY2xjawMgY8dleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHnr4aip-DTKWrq513eGVkqRHH6sCDbAyJ236qdYXoclut0-fz3Wae_pqtBsV_aem_kRhzSBw_ZPppvppbD5FTNA#
4. Death toll from Legionnaires' disease outbreak in New York City rises to 7 and infections hit 114. NEW YORK (AP) — New York City health officials have discovered a seventh death linked to a Legionnaires' disease outbreak in Central Harlem, where more than 100 people have been diagnosed with the ailment.
https://www.wral.com/news/ap/e509d-death-toll-from-legionnaires-disease-outbreak-in-new-york-city-rises-to-7-and-infections-hit-114/#:~:text=Associated%20Press-,Death%20toll%20from%20Legionnaires'%20disease%20outbreak%20in%20New%20York%20City,been%20diagnosed%20with%20the%20ailment.
5. First screwworm case in US.
https://www.fox10tv.com/2025/08/25/first-human-case-flesh-eating-screwworm-detected-united-states/?fbclid=IwY2xjawMgZJBleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFPcTFIR0pGRWxKQm1PaVdNAR7prCfEo3e9q_r0Z9c5pzmSnQdaBMCMlbvJRxzn-efORisp0BAIE-q0drFMDg_aem_lERlBntx5GGPvBqmsArzcA
6. 73 year IL man dies in confined space.
https://foxillinois.com/news/local/73-year-old-man-dies-in-grain-bin-accident?fbclid=IwY2xjawMgZLlleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHoIvIayJXrhZCSvjxsKP5YC9KTzXIk5huOmfCUExaVaGSbmrramYE9ZKTtD__aem_FUU2Vy3nan2E_g7ExOBoQQ
7. IL teen died in tractor rollover.
https://www.firstalert4.com/2025/08/13/teen-dies-farm-implement-accident-macoupin-county/?fbclid=IwY2xjawMgZTtleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHiVT_0kLdowTDFwLOxhfPNRhydaLBssgk536crT6A_Q6Edeck3YZivrFCsh-_aem_foM3dCcY0V_vR4LiOG9YWw
8. Two dead in AL trench
https://www.wsfa.com/2025/08/11/2-dead-industrial-accident-near-princeton-woods/?fbclid=IwY2xjawMgZWxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHk7zUdNn0rD9Sr1QfvhdrEV0og90LCTiM_YnUU_pQEZK5Z2YQEGCe8wDAIj0_aem_JIQFPMY-wWzxuCwfR2wAWw
9. Harsh condition in MS poultry plant.
https://mississippitoday.org/2025/08/11/mississippi-poultry-industrys-alleged-abuse-of-immigrant-workers/
OSHA CITATIONS 6/20/2025
No updates
Safety Training at Non-Profits (Check Sites for Starting Dates)
OSHA 7845 Recordkeeping Naperville Sep 12
OSHA 500 CSC Sep 15-18
OSHA 3015 3 day Excavation CSC Sep 8-10
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
I usually teach only 10-hour and the 500 series. I have taught 2309 people this year. I teach evenings, weekends, and early mornings too. I teach in Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Ohio, and Indiana.
The PowerPoint is posted free at usmwf.org. https://www.usmwf.org/powerpoints-and-safety-information.html
I use your feedback to make changes to make corrections.
--
John Newquist
815-354-6853
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