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