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Safety/Health

Judge says injured whistle-blower got railroaded

10/31/2011
An administrative law judge has ruled that Norfolk Southern Rail­way must pay a former employee $122,199 in compensatory and punitive damages after it violated the worker’s rights under whistle-blower provisions of the Federal Railway Safety Act.

OSHA slaps $158,400 fine on Roselle plumbing contractor

10/26/2011
OSHA has cited A-Absolute Construction, based in Roselle, for numerous violations at a Parsippany worksite. OSHA has had its eye on A-Absolute since 2008 when a trench collapse trapped a worker.

Be prepared to show you used due diligence to prevent on-the-job subcontractor injuries

10/25/2011
Here’s an important note for companies that use subcontractors to carry out work. The state Division of Occupational Safety and Health can cite your company for on-the-job injuries if it appears you were a controlling employer.

OSHA site helps prevent work-related hearing loss

10/03/2011
OSHA has launched a new Occupational Noise Exposure page on its website that provides tips and tools to prevent noise-related hearing loss.

No miner tracking, no mining

09/28/2011
The federal Mine Safety and Health Administration has been granted an injunction preventing the Buck Mountain Slope Mine in Lykens from operating until it installs a wireless tracking and communications system in the mine.

Tremont mine achieves dubious first, will pay $900k

09/28/2011
The R&D Coal Co. has become the first company to be cited for a flagrant safety violation under the Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response (MINER) Act of 2006. On Oct. 23, 2006, methane detonated in a tunnel at the Tremont Township mine, killing Dale Reightler.

OSHA squeezes fines from Dick’s in trash bin case

09/28/2011
In baseball, a “squeeze play” is a risky gamble. According to OSHA, Pittsburgh-based Dick’s Sporting Goods almost gave a whole new meaning to the phrase.

Metro North blasted, fined for misclassifying worker injury

09/28/2011
OSHA has ordered Metro North Commuter Rail to pay more than $141,000 to a worker after an investigation concluded that the railroad purposely misclassified the worker’s injury and then denied him a promotion as a result.

Upstate sporting goods store fined for endangering workers

09/07/2011
It could have given new meaning to the phrase “squeeze play.” Dick’s Sporting Goods has been fined after safety inspectors discovered that managers at a store in Queensbury failed to turn off a trash compactor before forcing employees to climb inside to clear jammed cardboard boxes.

OSHA claims Niles dentist muzzled whistle-blowers

09/05/2011
Dr. A. Scott Santucci, a dentist in Niles, faces charges he harassed employees who refused to clean up two separate mercury spills at the practice’s office in 2010.