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Safety/Health

11 guidelines for preventing and addressing workplace violence

04/03/2012

Nearly 2 million U.S. workers are victims of workplace violence each year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Last year, 506 employees were slain at work.Don’t let your organization add to those sobering statistics. To reduce the chance of workplace violence—or your liability if it does happen—follow these 11 guidelines:

‘Walking the corn’ deaths lead to fines

03/22/2012
Mount Carroll-based Haasbach LLC has resolved 25 OSHA citations stemming from the deaths of two young workers at its grain bin facility.

OSHA finds violations at St. Cloud veterans facility

03/14/2012
St. Cloud Veterans Affairs Health Care System facility faces 19 health and safety violations after OSHA inspectors found eight repeat safety violations for such hazards as inadequate guardrails, blocked exit routes and failure to protect workers against electrical shocks.

OSHA: Euless printer clueless about safety

03/08/2012
Printing company SpeQtrum Pre­­press Production Services faces 14 serious safety and health violations and one other-than-serious violation following an OSHA inspection of its facility in Euless. Proposed penalties add up to $44,800.

OSHA to AirTran: Pay whistle-blower, let him fly

03/08/2012
OSHA has ordered AirTran, a subsidiary of Dallas-based Southwest Airlines, to pay $1 million in damages after it found the airline retaliated against a pilot who reported safety problems.

Remind bosses: Ignoring safety rules is negligence risk

02/24/2012
Ordinarily, employers aren’t liable for workers’ injuries. Workers’ compensation insurance covers them. But if managers ignore safety guidelines that they know could prevent injuries, the employee can sue.

Morgan Truck Body collides with $93,000 in OSHA fines

02/22/2012
Morgantown-based Morgan Truck Body has been cited for 24 safety and health violations at a factory in Georgia. The citations result from OSHA’s Site-Specific Targeting Program, which scrutinizes industries with high occupational illness and injury rates.

Whistle-blowing AirTran pilot wins reinstatement, $1 million

02/13/2012
OSHA has ordered Orlando-based AirTran to pay $1 million in damages after it found the airline retaliated against a pilot reporting safety problems.

Jennie-O Turkey cited for amputation incident

02/09/2012
Willmar-based Jennie-O Turkey Stores faces 11 safety violations after a machine at its Barron, Wisc., slaughterhouse cut off an employee’s arm.

OSHA scratches surface, finds unexpected chicken problems

02/03/2012
Some companies are careless, some are unlucky. Apparently Case Farm Chickens is both. Not only is the company facing $288,000 in fines for 61 OSHA violations, but it experienced an ammonia leak the day OSHA inspectors showed up at its Wineburg facility.