While appropriate use of lockout/tagout is critical to safe operation, OSHA sometimes has been going too far in ramping up lockout enforcement, as shown in a recent case where a violation was withdrawn. Companies who have been hit with lockout …
As mentioned in a previous post OSHA is warning companies not to structure rewards programs — whether intentionally or not — so that they encourage employees not to report injuries or illnesses. An example might be offering the chance to …
A federal appeals court has struck down recordkeeping violations issued by OSHA against a petrochemical construction and maintenance company for allegedly failing to report workplace injuries that in many cases occurred years before the citations were issued. The ruling goes …
A federal appeals court decision has pushed back against what appears to be an attempt by OSHA to expand the definition of a “work-related” injury. The case involved an OSHA citation against Caterpillar Logistics Services for allegedly failing to record …
OSHA is warning employers to be careful about rewards programs that could unintentionally – or perhaps even intentionally – encourage employees not to report injuries. In a recent communication, OSHA cited as an example a program in which employers created …
Dramatic accidents involving long falls or amputations in machines are often what makes headlines when it comes to non-fatal safety issues. But the costliest disabling injuries for industry, at least when it comes to Workers Compensation, involve something much more …
There are more than a few old jokes featuring an elephant and an ant and often they’re about the little guy winning against all odds. But the following story about another kind of elephant (Nevada OSHA) and an ant (a …
In a decision that could have national implications, the Oregon Court of Appeals this month made it more difficult for Oregon OSHA to use misconduct by a supervisor as the basis for issuing a citation. For more than 10 years, …
For a good holiday laugh, take a look at the following blog post entitled “How OSHA nearly killed Christmas” spotted on Curtis Chambers’ OSHATraining.com blog. How OSHA Nearly Killed Christmas! Every December, my wife and kids beg me to put …
A major, relatively new OSHA enforcement tool received backing last week from the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C., and affected employers should make plans to respond if they have not already done so. (Some recommendations are offered …