Fines/Penalties

Olympia, WA — The owner of a Seattle construction company is facing a second-degree manslaughter charge stemming from a 2016 employee death, marking the first time a workplace fatality in Washington state has prompted a felony charge, according to the Washington Department of Labor & Industries.

Which violation is making its first appearance on OSHA’s list of most-cited violations? Safety+Health presents the data on OSHA’s “Top 10” for fiscal year 2017. Also: A Q&A with Patrick Kapust, deputy director of the agency’s Directorate of Enforcement Programs.

Washington – A new database from the Center for Progressive Reform spotlights state criminal cases and advocacy campaigns against employers that have failed to comply with worker safety laws.

Washington – Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI) has introduced legislation intended to protect employees of companies that perform work for the federal government.

Indianapolis – The preliminary list of OSHA’s Top 10 violations for Fiscal Year 2017 remained largely unchanged from FY 2016, except for one new addition: Fall Protection – Training Requirements (1926.503) entered the list at No. 9 with 1,523 violations, just ahead of Electrical – Wiring Methods (1,405 violations).

Washington – Days after his May 10 release from federal prison after serving a one-year sentence for violating mine safety laws, former Massey Energy Co. CEO Don Blankenship sent a letter to President Donald Trump asking him not to consider legislation that would strengthen punishments for mine supervisors who knowingly flout safety rules.

Washington – The Department of Labor has published a final rule increasing civil penalty amounts for violations to adjust for inflation.

Safety+Health presents OSHA's most frequently cited violations for fiscal year 2016. Also: the annual "penalty box" detailing the year's largest fines, and an exclusive interview with Patrick Kapust, deputy director of OSHA's Directorate of Enforcement Programs.

Toronto – Government safety and health inspections that result in penalties for non-compliant employers encourage organizations to take action to reduce work-related injuries, according to research from the Institute for Work & Health.

Washington – The “deterrent effect” of OSHA fines takes a hit when the agency reduces penalties in cases involving willful violations and worker deaths – and OSHA too often agrees to reduce fines in exchange for an employer’s promise to quickly abate hazards, according to a report released June 30 by the Center for Progressive Reform.