OSHA Compliance Posts

OSHA determined that the employer of a 25-year-old welder – who suffered fatal injuries in an explosion in July 2022 – could have prevented the tragedy by following federal workplace safety standards.  OSHA learned the explosion occurred during welding operations while the work crew replaced old metal tanks with fiberglass ones at a saltwater disposal…...

This case is before the Commission on remand from the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.  Administrative Law Judge Keith E. Bell affirmed a citation issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, alleging that pallets of merchandise kept on racks at a distribution center were “stored in tiers” but not “blocked…...

This week OSHA published the Compliance Directive for Region IV’s Regional Emphasis Program (REP) for Safety Hazards in Auto Parts Industry – NAICS 3363XX (Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing).   Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows that in 2021 the auto parts supplier industry had higher injury and illness rates – 3.3 per 100…...

A worker died of acute hydrogen sulfide (H2S) poisoning while responding to an alarming water pump involved in the process of extracting crude oil and natural gas. The worker was alone in the pump house, attempting to close process valves to isolate the pump. The pump unexpectedly energized either before the worker’s arrival or during…...

When a manufacturer or importer ships defective/rejected Li-ion batteries for disposal or recycling, they are required to provide an HCS-compliant SDS to downstream employers. An HCS-compliant label would not be required for a product that is regulated under the CPSC.7 For example, consumer products that are generally regulated by the CPSC include button cells (e.g.,…...

This [Portable] Rechargeable Battery Association (PRBA) inquiry includes a number of scenarios and questions raised by its members related to the article determination, hazard classification, consumer product exemptions, and labeling requirements The PRBA scenarios and questions have been paraphrased, followed by our responses. In addition, Attachment 1 to this letter provides several scenarios to give…...

A plastics manufacturer’s failure to make sure required safety procedures were followed contributed to the death of a worker who suffered fatal injuries when he became entangled in a rotating part inside a bagging machine while trying to clear a jam.  OSHA found that duct tape over the safety interlock prevented the machine from shutting…...

This memorandum is intended to reiterate existing policy that allows Regional Administrators and Area Directors discretion to NOT GROUP VIOLATIONS in appropriate cases to achieve a deterrent effect. In particular, the agency may refrain from grouping violations where there is evidence that worksite conditions giving rise to the violations are separate and distinct, or where…...

The current Instance-by-Instance (IBI) policy, published in 1990, applies only to willful citations. OSHA believes that a more expansive application of IBI will incentivize employers to proactively prevent workplace fatalities and injuries and provide OSHA with another tool to use on its mission to ensure safe and healthful working conditions for America’s workforce.  The scope…...

We were debating this in the SAFTENG social media groups… are these fires happening more frequently or is social media making it easier to learn about these events?  Well the NFPA has studied the fires involving structures under construction from 2016-2020 to answer a lot of questions.  The one piece of data that got my…...

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