US Department of Labor issues 7 letters of interpretation addressing workplace safety, health requirements

-
US Department of Labor issues 7 letters of interpretation addressing workplace safety, health requirements WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced today that it has issued seven letters of interpretation to ensure the consistent and transparent application of federal workplace safety and health standards.As part of the Trump Administration’s broader emphasis on compliance assistance, OSHA’s letters of interpretation provide official explanations of the agency’s requirements and how they apply to specific workplace situations and hazardous conditions posed by employers, employees, or other parties.“From construction to engineering, OSHA is providing decisive guidance after gathering feedback from employers, demonstrating our opinion letter program has already been effective,” said Deputy Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling. “This effort is a key component of the Trump Administration’s comprehensive strategy to educate the public ...
Post a Comment

Department of Labor finds Newark contractor willfully exposed workers to fall hazards in 6 inspections in three months, proposes $333K in fines

-
Department of Labor finds Newark contractor willfully exposed workers to fall hazards in 6 inspections in three months, proposes $333K in fines
MARLTON, NJ – A series of inspections by the U.S. Department of Labor has found a Newark-based construction contractor defying federal safety regulations by exposing employees to more than 20 violations, including potentially deadly falls, at six southern and central New Jersey work sites in early 2023. Workplace safety and health inspections by the department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration identified 21 violations by Main Line Contractor Corp. in Berlin, Cape May, Lakewood, Mount Holly and Mount Laurel. Many of the violations related to the framing and sheathing company’s failure to provide or require the use of protective equipment to prevent falls from elevations greater than 6 feet, the construction industry’s leading cause of death. In January 2023, OSHA opened its initial investigation in Mount Laurel under the agency’s Local Emphasis Program on Falls, and followed that with five more inspections at Main Line work sites in January, February and March. OSHA discovered the company exposed employees intentionally to falls of up to 30 feet by not providing them with the required personal protective equipment or making sure employees used fall protection on site, when available. In total, OSHA cited the company for 17 serious and four willful violations and proposed $333,052 in penalties. “After our inspection identified violations at the Mount Laurel jobsite, the company continued to defy the law and put their employees at risk of serious debilitating injuries or worse,” said OSHA Area Director Paula Dixon-Roderick in Marlton, New Jersey. “Main Line must bring their company into compliance immediately before tragedy strikes.” Incorporated in 2022, Main Line Contractor Corp. provides framing and sheathing services at residential construction sites throughout New Jersey. The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. OSHA’s website includes information on developing a workplace safety and health program, that applies to all workplaces. OSHA also offers free work-specific tools. Employers can contact the agency for information about OSHA’s compliance assistance resources and for free help on complying with OSHA standards.  Learn more about OSHA.

Published at July 10, 2023 at 05:00PM
Read more at https://dol.gov

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Phoenix drywall, painting contractor must pay more than $7.4M in wages, damages after deliberately denying overtime to over 1,400 employees

-
Phoenix drywall, painting contractor must pay more than $7.4M in wages, damages after deliberately denying overtime to over 1,400 employees PHOENIX – The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a consent judgment ordering two commonly owned Arizona drywall and painting companies to pay $7,450,000 in back wages and damages after investigators found the employers willfully denied overtime pay to more than 1,400 employees.The Jan. 15, 2025 judgment by the U.S. District Court of the District of Arizona follows an investigation by the department’s Wage and Hour Division that found Apodaca Wall Systems Inc. and Empire Wall Systems Inc. in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act. The companies, owned by Arnold Apodaca and his children Michael and Brittany Apodaca, attempted to evade payment of overtime wages by paying hourly employees with multiple checks at straight-time rates for all hours worked. They also used labor brokers to hire hourly workers who were paid in cash at st...
Read more

Settlement affirms willful OSHA violations, $215K penalties, against contractors for fall hazards at multiple New Jersey work sites

-
Settlement affirms willful OSHA violations, $215K penalties, against contractors for fall hazards at multiple New Jersey work sites HASBROUCK HEIGHTS, NJ – Two related North Jersey construction contractor companies – Primetime Construction LLC and its subsidiary Primetime Contractors LLC of Paterson – have agreed to pay $215,000 in penalties and undertake several significant safety measures to resolve numerous safety violations found at five Paterson construction worksites in 2021, as part of a settlement with the U.S. Department of Labor.The department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration initially cited Primetime Contractors LLC for four willful violations that occurred in September 2021 after agency inspectors found the employer exposing workers to fall hazards by repeatedly failing to ensure construction site stairways at company worksites had handrails and stair rails, even after being counseled by OSHA about the relevant safety requirements. Primetime Contrac...
Read more

St. Louis contractor faces $258K in fines after exposing roofing workers to potentially deadly fall hazards 5 times in 7 weeks at Wentzville worksites

-
St. Louis contractor faces $258K in fines after exposing roofing workers to potentially deadly fall hazards 5 times in 7 weeks at Wentzville worksites ST. LOUIS – Federal workplace safety inspectors have cited a Missouri roofing contractor for 21 violations for illegally exposing roof workers — five times in seven weeks — at six Wentzville residential worksites to the dangers of fall hazards, the construction industry’s leading cause of serious injuries and death. The Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration opened its investigations after observing 13 Construction & Pro Services LLC allowing its employees to work on roofs without required protection equipment at separate sites on Oct. 31, Nov. 2 and Dec. 14, 2023.Specifically, OSHA alleges the company allowed employees to work without protection at heights greater than six feet, did not have a competent person inspect and evaluate job site hazards daily and failed to train workers to recognize ...
Read more