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