The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) continues to carry out inspections and issue citations to employers that expose workers to hazardous conditions. We’ve summarized some of the key enforcement cases from the past few months for a look at where OSHA is focusing its efforts.
Metal components manufacturer faces $65K in fines
A Pennsylvania manufacturer has been cited for ignoring child labor and safety laws after exposing a minor to workplace dangers. In 2024, a 16-year-old machine operator suffered an amputation while working with a metal forming machine, leading to an OSHA investigation that found six serious safety violations. The violations identified included amputation and machine guarding hazards, as well as failings in lockout/tagout procedures.
Penalty: $64,892
Apparel company reaches settlement to correct multiple safety failures
In 2021, OSHA inspected the New York warehouse of an international athletic apparel and footwear corporation and found multiple fall hazards, including missing guardrails. A 2024 follow-up inspection documented the original fall hazards, as well as an additional violation of ladder safety regulations. The company agreed to pay fines and implement enhanced safety measures at its facilities in New York, New Jersey, and Puerto Rico. The settlement agreement requires the corporation to:
- Adopt a comprehensive safety and health management program.
- (Re)train employees on fall hazards.
- Assess and audit potential fall hazards.
- Discontinue the use of overhead storage at all facilities.
Penalty: $235,000
Fall hazard violations lead to six-figure penalty
An international charitable organization has again failed to protect workers from fall hazards, leading to citations and penalties. In November 2024, a maintenance worker fell while repairing a roof leak and died from the injuries. An investigation found one repeat violation, two other-than-serious violations, and five serious violations, including failure to assess workplace hazards and failure to provide fall protection training. OSHA inspectors cited the organization for similar safety violations in 2020.
Penalty: $120,817
Failure to address previously identified hazards results in fines for bakery
The Department of Labor and a New Jersey-based baker recently reached a settlement agreement. In June 2023, an employee suffered partial finger amputations, leading to the initial investigation. When OSHA conducted a follow-up inspection of the facility in 2024, the cited hazards remained. As a result, OSHA issued two willful citations, one repeat citation, six serious citations, and one failure-to-abate citation and proposed penalties to the baker for not addressing the hazards. The settlement agreement includes a financial penalty, as well as enhanced abatement measures, including:
- Establishing an employee-management safety and health committee;
- Retaining a third-party safety consultant to perform regular safety audits;
- Posting safety and health signage and providing appropriate safety training in both English and Spanish;
- Implementing new safety procedures, including a daily safety checklist, security cameras, and new engineering controls; and
- Performing spot checks to ensure use of proper lockout/tagout procedures.
Penalty: $180,000
Event production companies must pay $20K penalty
OSHA issued two serious violations related to crushing hazards after an employee fatality at a Florida music festival. The production companies were cited for allegedly failing to maintain structural stability during the erection of a stage and failing to provide proper employee training.
Penalty: $19,860
Stone product manufacturer cited for more than a dozen violations
A manufacturer in Georgia continued to expose workers to respirable crystalline silica, according to a follow-up inspection by OSHA. In April 2024, OSHA officials initially cited the company for failing to administer hearing conservation and respiratory protection programs. Inspectors found two repeat violations and 13 serious violations during their September 2024 inspection. Employees were not given protection from hazardous materials, such as silica dust and occupational-related noise.
Penalty: $120,000