EH&S Insider Blog

Safety professionals who have been seeking a stronger financial incentive to help make workplace safety a top priority now have one. In the wake of a steady stream of workplace safety violations, the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Improvements Act of 2015, (hereafter The 2015 Act, outlined here), places a heavy thumb on the scale in favor of workplace safety by enabling OSHA to increase the cost of citations to employers for safety violations.

OSHA Cites Green Bay Packaging Company for Multiple Safety Hazards Company: Services Plus Inc. Inspection site: 1001 Discovery Road, Green Bay, Wisconsin Citations received: Jan. 27, 2016 Investigation findings: The U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Appleton Area Office cited the Services Plus Inc., a Green Bay packaging company, for one willful and five serious safety violations.

Manufacturer exposes employees to dangerous respiratory, chemical and other safety hazards. US Chutes Corp. faces $94,248 in fines for repeated and serious violations. U.S. Chutes Corp. exposed employees to chemical, mechanical, electrical and respiratory hazards during the manufacturing process at its Bantam plant, an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has found. A manufacturer of galvanized chutes for laundry and trash conveyors, the company faces $94,248 in fines.

OSHA Proposes $130,200 in Fines to Aluminum Plant for Willful Exposures Company: Matalco US Inc., Canton, Ohio Scope: Matalco US is under investigation by the US Department of Labor for exposing workers to amputation, fall hazards and unsafe crane operations.

OSHA Fines Lazarus Energy for Exposing Workers Company: Lazarus Energy LLC Scope: OSHA discovered 11 safety violations, mainly for exposing workers to chemical hazards at its Nixon refinery. What Happened: OSHA inspected Lazarus Energy LLC in July of 2013 after a referral from the Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA was focusing on the refinery's process safety management program for handling flammable liquids in excess of 10,000 pounds. The 10 serious process safety management violations cited include a failure to properly compile process safety information for vessels, piping, and other equipment; resolve previous process hazard analysis action items; update communication operating procedures; complete and update a thorough process hazard analysis; compile and implement written procedures for mechanical integrity; and implement a management of change program.