The case of a western Pennsylvania painting company provides a good reminder that OSHA violations have the potential to result in jail time. Thomas C. Caruso, owner of the company, Modern Painting and Decorating, faces federal criminal charges in the …
The American Society of Safety Engineers is asking OSHA to address a situation in Arizona that could threaten the safety of workers exposed to fall hazards in residential construction. Arizona’s governor has signed a bill into law saying that fall …
OSHA’s recent warning about safety incentive programs is just one part of a larger effort by the agency to strengthen whistleblower rights. In an insightful article, Rod Smith, Pat Miller and Matt Morrison of the Sherman & Howard law firm …
With the economy still struggling and Republicans pointing to excess regulation as one cause, it seems unlikely that OSHA would roll out an ambitious new regulatory approach before the November presidential election. Or is it? As reported by OH&S magazine, …
In a case that took a stunning 18 years to resolve, a federal appeals court has limited OSHA’s ability to impose willful violations, which carry heavier potential penalties than standard violations. The case stemmed from a citation personally served in …
OSHA’s warning about workplace rewards programs that might encourage employees not to report injuries raises concerns that some good companies may be unfairly caught up in an enforcement action. Before I begin, let me make clear that no one at …
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sometimes has been going too far in ramping up lockout enforcement, as shown in a recent case where a violation was withdrawn.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 …