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In the second quarter (Q2), the EPA finalized 388 settlement agreements with companies small and large across the United States. This represents a large increase in enforcement actions—up from 235 penalties—issued in Q1 for 2024. The actions taken resulted in $11,061,445 in fines. Here are some of the highlights. CAA violations yield biggest fine from […]
In any environment where safety and well-being are accounted for, effective visitor management plays a crucial role. This is particularly true in settings such as construction sites, clinics, manufacturing facilities, and a range of workplaces in which controlling access and ensuring a safe environment are top priorities. In this article, we’ll explore the significance of […]
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. Food processor supplier fined $1.7 million An Ohio-based food […]
Water is an important resource, but there are serious concerns about the contamination of drinking water with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as “forever chemicals.” With that in mind, the Song of the Week’s is PJ Harvey’s dark and foreboding 1995 classic “Down by the Water.” The song is the first single from […]
After a shipping container weighing more than 4 tons fell and struck an employee at a jobsite near Tuscaloosa, Ballard Contractors Inc., a Moundville, Alabama, concrete contractor, entered into an informal settlement agreement with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to resolve citations and penalties, the agency announced July 9. OSHA investigators learned […]
By Superior Glove, leading safety glove innovator Did you know that small changes “nudges” in the environment can influence safer decisions and promote positive behavior? This theory is a concept in behavioral science that proposes subtle, indirect suggestions can effectively influence the behavior and decision-making processes of individuals and groups. By making slight tweaks to […]
Trade associations and public water utilities have wasted no time in filing lawsuits to stop EPA regulations requiring maximum containment levels (MCL) for six per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water. On April 10, 2024, the EPA announced it issued the first-ever national, legally enforceable drinking water standard to protect communities from exposure to […]
Last month, the EPA demonstrated that stopping the installation of aftermarket defeat devices for vehicles and engines remains a top enforcement priority. These defeat devices are “aftermarket parts or software, such as modified exhausts or chip tuning products and services, that inhibit or bypass a vehicle’s emissions controls,” according to MotorTrend. On June 4, 2024, […]
Thompson Hardwoods Inc., a Hazlehurst, Georgia, sawmill, is facing $267,327 in Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) fines after a 24-year-old employee suffered fatal injuries while working with a woodchipper, the agency announced July 2. OSHA investigators found that the worker suffered serious injuries when the equipment activated while he tried to clear a log jam. After coworkers […]
Recent settlements in the product liability lawsuits stemming from the use of the weed killer Roundup mark progress in the ongoing litigation across the country. Roundup is one of the most widely used weedkillers in the United States. It was originally manufactured by Monsanto Co. and used glyphosate as its most active ingredient, which has […]