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