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Showing posts from June, 2023

Department of Labor will celebrate benefits of Registered Apprenticeships as valuable pathway to good jobs during first Youth Apprenticeship Week

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Department of Labor will celebrate benefits of Registered Apprenticeships as valuable pathway to good jobs during first Youth Apprenticeship Week WASHINGTON – The Department of Labor today announced that the nation will celebrate the benefits of Registered Apprenticeships and the opportunities they create for youth and young adults with 320 special events and more than 70 proclamations scheduled across the U.S. to mark the first annual Youth Apprenticeship Week from May 5-11. Built on the success of National Apprenticeship Week, Youth Apprenticeship Week will give employers, unions, educators, state agencies, workforce partners, community-based organizations and other Registered Apprenticeship sponsors the opportunity to showcase their programs and successes in youth apprenticeships. The annual commemoration also offers youth apprentices a platform on which they can share their apprenticeship experiences and educate the public about the benefits of local youth apprenticeship programs.
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US Department of Labor awards more than $58M to support delivery of services to help homeless veterans reenter workforce

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US Department of Labor awards more than $58M to support delivery of services to help homeless veterans reenter workforce WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of more than $58 million in grants to support the efforts of organizations that help homeless veterans by enabling them to overcome barriers to re-entering the workforce and finding meaningful employment. Administered by the Veterans’ Employment and Training Service, the Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program provides funding for three years to support the delivery of services to homeless veterans and those at risk of homelessness. The grants awarded today will provide more than $28 million for 72 new three-year grants. VETS is also providing an additional $29 million to 87 organizations in the second or third years of the program. “Upholding our responsibility to our veterans is central to the Unity Agenda outlined in President Biden’s State of the Union address,” said Assistant Secretary for Vet
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US Department of Labor cites Utah solar power company after inspectors find workers atop snow-covered Johnstown roof without fall protection

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US Department of Labor cites Utah solar power company after inspectors find workers atop snow-covered Johnstown roof without fall protection DENVER – Cited 12 times since 2018 for endangering workers, a Utah-based solar provider allowed employees to work on an icy, snow-covered two-story roof in Johnstown without legally required fall protection in late December 2022, a U.S. Department of Labor safety investigation found. Acting on a complaint about workers’ safety at risk, the department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration opened an inspection and found that Ion Solar LLC ignored fall protection requirements in the company’s safety and health program, which exposed its employees to falls from elevation, the construction industry’s leading cause of death. An onsite company manager told an OSHA investigator that he did not enforce the safety program for a one-day job. In addition to not ensuring the use of fall protection, Ion Solar also did not provide employees on the gro
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US Department of Labor Georgia road contractors to promote workplace safety during I-285 I-20 East interchange project

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US Department of Labor, Georgia road contractors to promote workplace safety during I-285, I-20 East interchange project Participants: U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration Georgia Tech Enterprise Innovation Institute for Safety, Health and Environmental Services Archer Western E.R. Snell What: OSHA has signed a strategic partnership with two Georgia firms engaged in a joint-venture, Archer Western – an Atlanta construction company – and E.R. Snell – a Snellville construction company – to promote worker safety and health during reconstruction of the I-285 and I-20 East highway interchange. Background: The partnership seeks to prevent worker injuries and reduce exposure to hazards using a public-private approach. The initiative will assist contractors in creating and using safety and health management systems, and training to ensure workers, employers and supervisors know how to remain safe and healthy. The expansive project includes reconstruction of
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US Department of Labor trade groups unions partnering to protect workers from hazards in trenching excavation

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US Department of Labor, trade groups, unions partnering to protect workers from hazards in trenching, excavation WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration today signed an agreement with an alliance of trade organizations, labor unions and industry stakeholders to better protect people who do trenching and excavation work. The two-year agreement between OSHA and the Partners for Safe Trenching and Excavation Operations Alliance will unite the North American Excavation Shoring Association, the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, the National Utility Contractors Association, the Associated General Contractors, the Common Ground Alliance, the International Union of Operating Engineers and the Laborers’ International Union of North America to address some of the construction industry’s most hazardous work. “Sadly in 2022, we saw a dramatic and disturbing increase in the number of workers who died in trench collapses,” said Assistant Secre
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US Department of Labor Mid-America Carpenters Regional Council Apprentice and Training Program sign alliance to train employees on hazards

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US Department of Labor, Mid-America Carpenters Regional Council Apprentice and Training Program sign alliance to train employees on hazards Who:               U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration St. Louis Area Office and Mid-America Carpenters Regional Council Apprentice and Training Program-St. Louis Campus What:             Workplace safety and health alliance Background: The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Mid-America Carpenters Regional Council Apprentice and Training Center Program-St. Louis Campus signed an alliance, June 14, 2023, to provide valuable safety training to apprentices, members, industry professionals, and OSHA in recognition and prevention of workplace hazards in the residential, commercial and industrial construction sectors. The two-year alliance will focus on reducing and preventing exposure to a variety of construction safety and health hazards through the development and deli
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US Department of Labor North Florida non-profit initiative align to safeguard agriculture construction industries workers

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US Department of Labor, North Florida non-profit initiative align to safeguard agriculture, construction industries’ workers Who:  U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration            The Migrants & Minorities Alliance Inc. What:  Safety and health alliance Background: OSHA and Migrants & Minorities Alliance Inc. are allying to protect agricultural and construction industry workers by reducing and preventing exposure to workplace hazards. The alliance will focus on educating employers and workers on OSHA’s Focus Four, which involves education on preventing falls, caught-in, struck-by and electrical hazards. OSHA’s Alliance Program works with groups committed to worker safety and health to prevent workplace fatalities, injuries and illnesses. These groups include unions, consulates, trade or professional organizations, businesses and more. OSHA and their partners develop compliance assistance tools and resources to share with workers and employers
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US Department of Labor Mexican Consulate in Dallas sign alliance to protect safety health of Spanish-speaking workers

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US Department of Labor, Mexican Consulate in Dallas sign alliance to protect safety, health of Spanish-speaking workers Participants:  U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational     Safety and Health Administration Mexican Consulate, Dallas, Texas         On June 14, 2023, OSHA Dallas Area Director Basil Singh, Fort Worth Area Director Timothy Minor and Mexico’s Consul in Dallas Francisco de la Torre Galindo signed an alliance to promote understanding of the workplace safety and health rights and responsibilities and provide resources for North Texas’ Spanish-speaking workers. Alliance description: On June 14, 2023, OSHA’s area offices in Dallas and Fort Worth and the Dallas Mexican Consulate entered into a two-year alliance to provide Spanish-speaking employers and workers in North Texas with information, guidance and access to workers’ rights resources.                                                                                The alliance provides workplace safety and health outre
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Department of Labor to hold online seminars to educate current prospective federal contractors on prevailing wage requirements

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Department of Labor to hold online seminars to educate current, prospective federal contractors on prevailing wage requirements WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that its Wage and Hour Division will offer online seminars for contracting agencies, contractors, unions, workers and other stakeholders on the requirements for paying prevailing wages on federally funded construction and service contracts. Part of the division’s effort to increase awareness and improve compliance, the seminars will include recorded training videos on a variety of Davis-Bacon Act and Service Contract Act topics that participants can view on-demand. The division will then offer live Q&A sessions to provide additional information. Q&A sessions on compliance issues will be offered as follows: Davis-Bacon Act: June 27 and Sept. 13. Service Contract Act: June 28 and Sept. 14. “Prevailing wage laws are key to ensuring that construction and service jobs are good jobs and that workers
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US Department of Labor recovers more than $171K in back pay, benefits for 11 workers shortchanged by Florida construction subcontractor

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US Department of Labor recovers more than $171K in back pay, benefits for 11 workers shortchanged by Florida construction subcontractor LABELLE, FL – Federal investigators have found that a subcontractor employed during construction of a new reservoir pump station on the Caloosahatchee River in Hendry County failed to pay 11 electricians the correct wage rate for the federally supported project, denying them $171,998 in wages and benefits. The U.S. Department of Labor determined Quality Electric Contracting Inc. of Clewiston should have paid the electricians $37 per hour to pull wire, run conduit and ground wire for the new Labelle pump station but paid them $25 per hour or less for their work.  After reviewing the company’s pay records, the department’s Wage and Hour Division learned the employer paid some electricians the lower rates for laborers and others a higher laborers’ rate. Ultimately, Quality Electric failed to pay the electricians the project’s prevailing wage rate. The su
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Federal safety inspectors find Illinois contractor with long history of violations again exposing employees to dangerous workplace hazards

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Federal safety inspectors find Illinois contractor with long history of violations again exposing employees to dangerous workplace hazards ORLAND PARK, IL – For the seventh time since 2015, federal workplace safety inspectors have cited an Oswego contractor who refuses to protect carpenters working at elevations, as required by federal law. Inspectors with the U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration observed six carpenters employed by United Custom Homes LLC framing new townhomes in Orland Park on April 12, 2023, at heights up to 21 feet without fall protection, and opened an investigation. OSHA learned that, in addition to not providing fall protection equipment, the contractor failed to train workers on the use of fall protection and forklift operations and did not provide workers with eye protection. After the Orland Park inspection, the company received OSHA citations for one willful violation, one repeat violation and two serious violations with pro
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Federal workplace safety inspectors find Illinois contractor continues to expose roofing workers to deadly fall hazards, despite 2019, 2022 violations

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Federal workplace safety inspectors find Illinois contractor continues to expose roofing workers to deadly fall hazards, despite 2019, 2022 violations GREENVILLE, IL – Federal workplace safety inspectors found a Fairmont City roofing contractor continuing to endanger employees to deadly fall hazards by not providing them fall protection, as required by federal law. Inspectors with the U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration observed six roofers removing asphalt shingles on a commercial building in Greenville on April 18, 2023, at heights up to 12 feet without fall protection, and opened an investigation. OSHA found Juan Zuniga Ramos – operator of JZ Exteriors and Repairs LLC – failed to provide fall protection and train workers on its use. Inspectors learned the company also lacked an accident prevention program and did not have a competent person to inspect work sites for hazards. Inspectors also noted the contractor failed to use ladders properly, expo
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Illinois contractor ignored city’s safety warnings about deadly trench hazards, federal inspectors cite five willful, serious violations, propose $77K in penalties

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Illinois contractor ignored city’s safety warnings about deadly trench hazards, federal inspectors cite five willful, serious violations, propose $77K in penalties WATERLOO, IL ‒ A Breese contractor who ignored a city engineer’s repeated verbal and written instructions to use trench cave-in protection faces penalties after federal workplace safety inspectors found the employer failed to protect workers installing storm sewer lines from potentially deadly trench cave-ins on a least five occasions. Acting on a City of Waterloo referral, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspectors found five employees of Groundworks Contracting Inc. in trenches as deep as 18 feet on five occasions during its investigation from Nov. 30, 2022 to Jan. 20, 2023 at the Silvercreek Crossing residential housing development. Inspectors determined the employer put workers at risk by failing to provide required cave-in protection and head protection and by not training e
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