worker safety News

Chicago Manufacturer Faces $1M Fine for Exposing Workers to Silica Dust

Federal safety inspectors became aware that a 31-year-old employee of a Chicago countertop manufacturer needed a double lung transplant after suffering accelerated silicosis ‒ an incurable lung disease – and the U.S. Department of Labor immediately alerted the company of …

Cal/OSHA Cites Nine Employers for Silica Safety Violations

California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health cited nine employers in Sun Valley following efforts to address the growing number of silicosis cases among stone workers in California. The safety violations include more than $168,000 in fines. Cal/OSHA cited the …

California Indoor Worker Heat Protections OK’d and in Effect

California’s indoor heat protections were approved and went into effect this week. The rules apply to most indoor workplaces. Employers are required to adopt safety measures that go into effect in most cases when indoor temperatures reach 82°F to prevent …

Colorado Workers with Bird Flu Toiled in Heat, Without Effective Protective Gear

Colorado workers who contracted bird flu were working during extreme heat and under large fans, factors that made wearing protective equipment difficult and potentially contributed to their infections, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Tuesday. The …

Washington Roofers Fined $1.27M for Putting Workers at Risk of Falling

Four Washington roofing companies are facing $1.27 million in fines from the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries for safety violations including allowing workers on top of homes without fall protection. L&I cited and fined Allways Roofing Inc. $345,700 …

Judge Tells Louisiana to Protect Incarcerated Workers Toiling in Summer Heat

Amid blistering summer temperatures, a federal judge ordered Louisiana to take steps to protect the health and safety of incarcerated workers toiling in the fields of a former slave plantation, saying they face “substantial risk of injury or death.” The …

Alabama Company Pays $81,000 OSHA Fine After Worker’s Fatal Fall

The U.S. Department of Labor has fined an Alabama mobile home manufacturer more than $81,000 after a worker without fall protection slipped and fell to his death last November. The department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration found that 62-year-old Jerry …

Cal/OSHA Board Adopts Workplace Standard for Indoor Heat

A California workplace safety oversight board adopted a new standard for indoor workplaces to enact safety measures when the temperature reaches 87°F. The Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board approved an indoor heat standard that requires indoor workplaces to be …

Oregon Contractor Fined for Repeatedly Exposing Workers to Fall Hazards

The Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division fined a Grants Pass roofing company $86,149 for workplace safety violations, including repeatedly failing to safeguard workers from fall hazards that could seriously injure or kill them. The division cited GB Roofing LLC …

Samsung Faces Probe After Two Chip Workers Exposed to Radiation

South Korea’s nuclear safety authorities are carrying out an on-site investigation after two employees at a Samsung Electronics Co. semiconductor plant were exposed to radiation. The employees are showing abnormal symptoms on their fingers because of localized exposure, though their …