Company threatened to fire workers who spoke with OSHA
August 21, 2015
As they did the hard work of removing floor tiles, insulation and other materials at what was once an elementary school, employees of two Illinois companies were unaware that they were exposed to deadly asbestos fibers.
No one disputes that smoking is the major cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the difficulty breathing that strikes so many Americans in their twilight years. A new study by Duke University and CPWR researchers, however, reminds us that smoking is far from the only cause, and we still have a lot of work to do if we are going to protect construction workers.
An Elk Grove Village-based company is facing fines of nearly $45,000 for exposing workers to various respiratory and electrical hazards, according to OSHA.
People tasked with saving lives found their own lives endangered by infectious disease because their employer failed to protect them, according to OSHA. Agency inspectors determined that employees of Lifefleet, a North Lima, Ohio medical transport company were exposed to blood and other bodily fluids which can cause serious diseases such as hepatitis and HIV.
A former Warren Industries employee’s report to OSHA that he’d been injured on the job resulted in an agency inspection of the company’s Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin facility – and some startling findings.
Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Dr. David Michaels yesterday announced a proposed new standard that would dramatically lower workplace exposure to beryllium, a widely used material that can cause devastating lung diseases.
OSHA has proposed to reduce the occupational health exposure to crystalline silica dust due to the evidence of risk of lung cancer, silicosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and kidney disease.
An employee of Wilbert Inc., based in Belmont, North Carolina suffered severe burns at the company’s Bellevue, Ohio manufacturing facility because procedures had not been taken to prevent the machine from releasing hot plastic during maintenance resulting in the injury.
A commentary published by the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene (JOEH) highlights the potential dangers faced by actors in the adult film industry and reviews potential enforcement actions and regulatory developments concerning the industry.
It’s no secret that telecom employees who climb cell towers for a living have dangerous jobs, but so far, most of the concern has focused on fall risks. The reason for that is clear: in the past decade, more than 90 workers have lost their lives from deadly falls, sometimes from over 1,000 feet.
