OSHA has filed a lawsuit against a Boston, Massachusetts-based contractor, alleging that the company retaliated against an injured employee by facilitating his arrest. The complaint filed last month with the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts against Tara Construction Inc. and its chief executive officer, Pedro Pirez, states that the worker sustained a serious injury when he fell from a ladder on March 29, 2017. He reported his injury to his employers. OSHA found out about the fall and investigated.

Health and safety incidents have become the leading financial loss drivers for businesses around the globe, with cumulative losses now outstripping the costs of more high-profile disruptions such as cyber-attacks or IT outages, according to the latest research. The British Standards Institution (BSI) 2019 Horizon Scan analyzed the risks and threats recognized by 569 organizations worldwide, and compared these against the impact of actual disruptions over the past year.

Thirty-four Congressional Democrats are calling for the reinstatement of the original Improve Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses rule published on May 12, 2016, which required companies with 250 or more employees to electronically submit OSHA forms 300 (Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses) and 301 (Injury and Illness Incident Report) each year. The Trump administration’s final rule, which was published during the government shutdown, only requires employers to submit a 300A – a summary of work-related injuries and illnesses.

An OSHA investigation into a worker’s burn injuries has led to safety citations issued to the operator of a Chili’s Grill and Bar restaurant in Florida. The employee of Brinker Florida Inc. suffered the injuries at the company’s Doral location when he fell from an unguarded platform into a hot water bath.

Workplace discrimination happens when employers treat employees differently due to factors like their race, age, gender or sexual orientation. There are federal laws against such treatment in the United States, but it still happens. And, many people initially feel surprised after learning of the link between workplace discrimination and reduced employee safety.

The major players involved in holding the 2019 National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction will host a webinar to help would-be participants make the most of the event. Falls are the top cause of construction fatalities and account for a third of on-the-job injuries and deaths in the industry.

OSHA has cited Hilti Inc. – a hardware merchant wholesaler – for exposing employees to struck-by hazards after an employee was injured while operating a forklift at a distribution center in Atlanta, Georgia. The Plano, Texas-based company faces penalties of $164,802.

OSHA has cited Bruce Foods Corporation – a Mexican food manufacturer based in El Paso, Texas – after an employee suffered an amputation. The company now faces $194,350 in fines. OSHA cited the company for 24 serious safety violations including failing to train employees in lockout/tagout procedures, inadequate machine guarding, lack of fall protection, and exposing employees to live electrical parts.

A motion picture company has been issued a serious citation by OSHA for an accident in August 2018 that left a stunt man hospitalized for weeks with serious injuries. The agency says Eye Productions, Inc. failed to protect stunt coordinator Justin Sundquist from hazards while filming the CBS television show MacGuyver in Chattahoochee Hills, Georgia. Sunquist fell from the back of a vehicle that was traveling at approximately 18 mph, according to OSHA.

A new and improved Protecting America’s Workers Act (PAWA) has been introduced into the House of Representatives by Congressman Joe Courtney (D-CT). Similar versions of this bill has been introduced every year for over a decade. The bill number is H.R.1074.