Tag Archives: violation

Whistleblower complaints could rise under OSHA proposal

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Filing a whistleblower complaint is about to become a whole lot easier. In line with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) increase focus on whistleblower protection, the agency has proposed a rule to allow for new ways to file a whistleblower complaint, including a web-based form.

Under Labour Code 6310, employers can’t retaliate against workers when they file an OSHA complaint. Examples of retaliation include firing, demoting, or transferring the complainant. Currently, the only way to file a whistleblower complaint is to contact the nearest office of the Division of Labour Standards Enforcement.

Under the new proposal, a whistleblower complaint would be a much easier affair, with only a few clicks and keystrokes separating an alleged retaliatory action and the submission of a complaint. If it goes through, the rule would have the potential to dramatically increase the amount of whistleblower complaints filed.

But it is not a done … Read more...

OSHA bumps fall protection enforcement period to March 2013

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Attention home builders! If you were expecting to face more stringent fall protection measures next week, you’ve got a bit of a reprieve. The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) announced yesterday it is extending its temporary enforcement measures on fall protection through to March 15, 2013.

Previously, OSHA had planned to enforce its new Compliance Guidance for Residential Construction next week. However, potentially influenced by call from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), OSHA decided to push the temporary enforcement measures by three months. These measures can be thought of as a means by which OSHA eases the home-building industry into compliance with the new residential construction rules, which calls for increased fall protection for workers engaged in operations six feet or more above lower levels.

The temporary enforcement measures offer employers:

  • Priority free on-site compliance assistance.
  • Penalty reductions.
  • Extended abatement dates.
  • Measures to ensure consistency.
  • Increased
… Read more...

OSHA enforcement vs. incident rates, airline attendant safety, Doha climate talks and more on EHS This Week

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On this week’s edition of EHS This Week we’ve got the week’s top stories in environment, health and safety news:

  • The correlation between higher OSHA enforcement areas and injury and illness rates.
  • A proposal to increase safety for airline attendants.
  • Doha climate talks and more.

Remember to write us with your suggestions, questions and comments at paul@ehsthisweek.com. Also, if you are an industry expert and ever want to take part in the program, we’d love to have you. 

Until next week, enjoy the program!

[audio: old/mp3/EHS This Week Dec 7 2012.mp3]… Read more...

Roller Coaster mishap, India’s power crisis, workers’ compensation costs drop in 2010 and more on EHS This Week

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On this week’s edition of EHS This Week we take a look at the top stories in environment, health and safety news, including:

  • Cal-OSHA’s investigation of a scary roller coaster mishap.
  • A downward trend in workers’ compensation costs across the U.S.
  • Great news on wind power trajectories and a whole lot more.

Remember to write us with your suggestions, questions and comments at paul@ehsthisweek.com. Also, if you are an industry expert and ever want to take part in the program, we’d love to have you. 

Until next week, enjoy the program!

[audio: old/mp3/EHS This Week Aug 3.mp3]… Read more...

EPA budget presentation, workplace absenteeism revelation, advances in European renewable energy progress and more on EHS This Week

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We discuss top stories from the world of environment, health and safety news for the past seven days, including OSHA citations, the EPA budget, and more.

Come back on a weekly basis or subscribe for our rundown of the week’s top EHS Stories.

[audio: old/mp3/EHS This Week Mar 23.mp3]… Read more...

Fisher minimizes environmental fines by implementing Intelex EMS

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Fisher Sand and Gravel, a North Dakota-based aggregate producer, has reached a settlement agreement with the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) after claims of air and water quality violation at some of its Arizona operations.

While Fisher received a fine in the settlement, more than half of the funds will not be collected by the ADEQ and instead directed to the implementation of an Intelex-powered Environmental Management System (EMS), which is expected to help the company avoid future violations and boost environmental stewardship. The EMS will feature a continual cycle of planning, implementing, reviewing and improving the actions that Fisher undertakes to meet its business goals, and represents the company’s expanded commitment to environmental stewardship and the public health of the communities it serves.

The whole situation is a reminder of the fact that businesses can reduce the impact of fines by taking steps to proactively … Read more...