Department of Labor alleges subcontractor knowingly exposed employees to asbestos hazards during former Waukegan hospital demolition

Department of Labor alleges subcontractor knowingly exposed employees to asbestos hazards during former Waukegan hospital demolition WAUKEGAN, IL – Alleging that K.L.F. Enterprises — a Chicago demolition subcontractor — knew it was exposing its employees and others to the serious dangers of asbestos at a Waukegan work site, the U.S. Department of Labor has cited the company for 36 safety and health violations after a federal investigation. In November 2023, investigators with the department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration opened a complaint inspection after they observed K.L.F. employees not wearing protective equipment amid piles of debris and steel I-beams during structural demolition of the eight-story former Lakes Behavioral Health hospital. OSHA determined that K.L.F. continued demolition activities — disturbing and removing asbestos used to fireproof the building’s interior — despite recognizing the debris piles outside were likely asbestos-laden. The company did

US Department of Labor, Safety Council of Greater St. Louis sign alliance to train employers, workers on common hazards

US Department of Labor, Safety Council of Greater St. Louis sign alliance to train employers, workers on common hazards
Who:             U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration                        The Safety Council of Greater St. Louis                   What:             Workplace safety and health alliance Background: OSHA Area Director Bill McDonald in St. Louis and Executive Director of the Safety Council of Greater St. Louis Mary Beth Proost signed an alliance to promote workplace safety and health topics among council members focused on general industry, construction and agriculture. This alliance will provide safety council members access to training resources that will aid in the protection of workers by reducing or preventing exposure to workplace hazards and establishing an illness and injury prevention program. The alliance will encourage employee participation in workplace safety and health by developing a sample policy for employers focused on encouraging worker engagement in hazard identification and developing a best practices document for training and engaging workers on hazard identification and control. The alliance will also encourage Safety Council of Greater St. Louis stakeholders to build relationships with OSHA’s regional and area offices to address health and safety issues, including fall prevention, workplace mental health awareness and heat illness prevention. During the two-year alliance members will also share information on OSHA campaigns to encourage workplace safety facilitating an understanding of workers’ rights and employees’ responsibilities under the Occupational Safety and Health Act. The OSHA Alliance Program enables organizations to enter voluntarily into a cooperative relationship to raise awareness of OSHA’s initiatives, outreach, communications, training and education. Quote: “This alliance will promote the development of comprehensive safety and health programs for members of the Safety Council of Greater St. Louis and increase access to training resources while focusing on hazards such as falls and heat illness prevention as well as increasing awareness of workplace mental health,” explained OSHA Area Director Bill McDonald in St. Louis. “Alliance agreements provide a collaborative framework for using industry and professional resources to ensure workplaces are safe for everyone involved.” Learn more about OSHA.

Published at May 30, 2023 at 05:00PM
Read more at https://dol.gov

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