As I wrote in an earlier post legislation is moving through the House of Representatives that would dramatically change the OSHA Act, increasing protection for whistleblowers and making officers and directors subject to criminal liability for OSHA violations in certain …
Prison terms of up to 10 years could be imposed on officers and directors of companies that knowingly violate OSHA rules under a proposed revision to the Occupational Safety and Health Act now advancing through Congress. The 10-year term would …
The massive, expanding cleanup on the Gulf is creating safety challenges aplenty and both the government and private industry are scrambling to respond. We’ve seen the impact in our temporary safety personnel services. One Friday afternoon we were asked by …
OSHA has raised the ante on enforcement to a whole new level. The agency now would like to see some violations treated as crimes with prison terms attached. Speaking to the American Society of Safety Engineers at the Safety 2010 …
With OSHA putting enforcement pressure on recordkeeping, it may be helpful to refresh your memory on just what constitutes a recordable injury. Arthur Sapper of the McDermott Will & Emery law firm has written an excellent article that straightens out …
OSHA is increasing enforcement pressure in yet another area: Making sure that employees receive safety training in a format they can understand. OSHA is instructing its inspectors to issue “serious” citations if a “reasonable person” would conclude that safety training …
Companies continue to be uncertain what OSHA’s new focus on recordkeeping may mean for them. A large national retailer just found out. OSHA tagged Lowe’s Home Centers Inc. in Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio, with $110,000 in proposed penalties for continually …
OSHA has come out with more details about its proposed Injury and Illness Prevention Program and it’s now clear to me that what could have been a good idea is headed down the wrong path. I agree that OSHA should …
If employers needed any further proof that OSHA is following through on its promise to greatly increase enforcement, they need only look at initiatives the agency announced last week and a speech by OSHA’s chief that was reported in a …
On April 22, David Michaels sent a letter to OSHA’s 10 regional administrators and the subject was administrative enhancements to OSHA’s penalties. The penalty changes look like they will become effective in the next several months. This plan is separate …