OSHA levies $46,200 in proposed penalties against U. S. Postal Service in Des Moines, Iowa
Filed under: osha, postal, postal news, press releases, usps
DES MOINES, Iowa – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited the U.S. Postal Service Processing and Distribution Center in Des Moines for two alleged serious and one alleged repeat violation of federal workplace safety standards for failing to properly train workers on powered industrial truck hazards. Proposed fines total $46,200.
“Our inspection revealed that workers were not being properly trained to identify hazards associated with operating powered industrial trucks,” said Charles Adkins, OSHA’s regional administrator in Kansas City, Mo. “It is imperative that employers take the necessary steps to eliminate hazards by training workers and providing a safe working environment.”
OSHA initiated an investigation in October at the Des Moines facility following a complaint alleging a lack of powered industrial truck training and operation deficiencies. The serious citations include failing to provide refresher training when workers were observed operating powered industrial trucks in an unsafe manner and to certify that workers were properly trained. A serious citation is issued when there is a substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.
The repeat citation was issued for failing to conduct an evaluation of each powered industrial truck operator at least every three years. OSHA issues a repeat violation when an employer previously has been cited for the same or a similar violation of a standard, regulation, rule or order at any other facility in federal enforcement states within the last five years.
The U.S. Postal Service Processing and Distribution Center in Des Moines has 15 business days from receipt of the citations and proposed penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director in Des Moines or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
The inspection was conducted by OSHA’s Des Moines Area Office, telephone 515-284-4794. To report workplace accidents, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, call OSHA’s toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742).
The U.S. Department of Labor has filed an enterprise-wide complaint against the U.S. Postal Service for electrical work safety violations. The complaint asks the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission to order the Postal Service to correct electrical violations at all its facilities nationwide. This complaint marks the first time OSHA has sought enterprise-wide relief as a remedy.
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing a safe and healthful workplace for their employees. OSHA’s role is to assure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov
USPS center in Calif fined $220,000 for unsafe work conditions
A federal workplace safety agency cited and fined the U.S. Postal Service $220,000 for unsafe work conditions at a mail-processing center in Los Angeles, the U.S. Labor Department announced Tuesday.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration found the Postal Service committed 16 violations of safety standards by exposing workers to electrical hazards at the 488-employee Los Angeles International Service Center in Carson
OSHA proposes $287,000 in fines against USPS in Bluefield, W.Va.,for exposing workers to electrical hazards
Filed under: osha, postal, postal news, press releases, usps
US Labor Department Press release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited the U.S. Postal Service for workplace safety violations found at a mail processing facility located at 3010 East Cumberland Road in Bluefield. Proposed penalties total $287,000.
“These citations and sizable fines reflect the Postal Service’s failure to ensure that the proper safety practices were being used by employees working with live electrical parts, leaving them vulnerable to multiple hazards,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Dr. David Michaels. “The Postal Service knew that proper and effective training was needed for the safety of its workers but did not provide it.”
OSHA initiated an inspection in May in response to a complaint alleging the hazards. Inspectors cited the Postal Service with four willful violations carrying a penalty of $280,000 and one serious violation with a penalty of $7,000.
The willful violations cite the facility’s failure to label electrical cabinets, properly train employees, use safety-related work practices when exposed to energized electrical parts and provide proper electrical protective equipment. OSHA defines a willful violation as one committed with plain indifference to or intentional disregard for employee safety and health.
The serious citation was issued for allowing an unauthorized employee to perform inspections. OSHA issues a serious citation when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result and the employer knew, or should have known, of the hazard.
The Postal Service has 15 business days from receipt of its citations to comply, meet with the OSHA area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. This inspection was conducted by OSHA’s Charleston Area Office in West Virginia, which can be reached at 304-347-5937. To report workplace accidents, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, call OSHA’s toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742).
The U.S. Department of Labor has filed an enterprise-wide complaint against the U.S. Postal Service for electrical safety violations. The complaint asks the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission to order the Postal Service to correct electrical violations at all its facilities nationwide. This complaint marks the first time OSHA has sought enterprise-wide relief as a remedy.
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to assure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit: http://www.osha.gov.
OSHA Fines USPS $210,000 For Safety Violations in Columbus, OH
APWU News
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) fined the USPS $210,000 for willfully exposing employees to electrical safety hazards at the Columbus, OH Processing and Distribution Center (P&DC).
OSHA inspectors issued the Postal Service five citations [PDF] after they found the Postal Service failed to properly train employees on safe electrical work practices and failed to provide them with proper protective equipment when working on live machinery. The USPS also failed to utilize proper procedures to prevent electrical parts from being inadvertently energized.
The most recent violations bring the Postal Service’s total OSHA fines to over $5.1 million.
OSHA Increases Enforcement Against Serious Safety and Health Violators
Filed under: Dept. of Labor, osha, postal, postal news, press releases, usps
From October 2009 to September 2010, OSHA issued citations in 164 significant cases where penalties reached $100,000 or more. OSHA found conditions warranting use of its egregious citation policy in 20 of these inspections. In a so-called egregious case, an employer is cited on a per-instance basis under the same standard rather than grouping similar violations for penalty purposes. The result is a considerably higher penalty intended to serve as a deterrent. Egregious treatment is often used when an employer exhibits deliberately violative conduct or indifference to employee safety and health or the law. Many of these cases spring from inspections of tragic worker fatalities, worksite catastrophes (such as explosions or chemical releases) or worker injuries or illnesses. This number of significant and egregious cases is more than OSHA issued during any similar period in the last decade. Egregious cases during this period include the BP Products North America oil refinery in Texas City, Texas; the Kleen Energy power plant in Middletown, Conn.; and the Cooperative Plus grain handling facility in Burlington, Wis.
The increase in significant and egregious cases demonstrates OSHA’s commitment to aggressively enforcing its standards when employers show indifference to protecting the safety, health and lives of their workers. The increase results from better inspection targeting, more follow-up inspections and the addition of more compliance officers. In addition, inspectors are issuing a higher percentage of citations for violations that seriously endanger workers or show an employer’s willful disregard for their safety. Also, many referrals to other facilities within the same company lead to more significant cases, such as the serious electrical and other hazards found at many U.S. Postal Service facilities across the country.
In a complaint filed earlier this year, OSHA alleged that “USPS’s actions demonstrate an enterprise-wide policy that resulted in ongoing systemic electrical work safety violations. USPS failed to adequately train workers in recognizing electrical hazards and how to work safely around such hazards, and did not provide workers with the appropriate tools and personal protective equipment to avoid injury or death while working around and on electrical equipment.”
“Even though it was aware of the hazards, USPS failed to institute the necessary measures to protect its workers,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Dr. David Michaels.
“Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to assure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance.”
OSHA rolls out presidential initiative to improve federal worker safety
The Department of Labor held an event at its Washington, D.C., headquarters Oct. 13 to roll out President Barack Obama’s new initiative to protect federal workers from on-the-job injuries and illnesses. The Protecting Our Workers and Ensuring Reemployment Initiative follows two former government programs in place since the mid 1990s. The new government-wide POWER Initiative sets aggressive target goals to help ensure federal workers are provided with safe and healthful work environments, as well as the support they need after experiencing a serious work-related injury or illness.
source: OSHA via several news releases
OSHA fines USPS $212,500 Electrical Hazards at Huntington, W.Va facility
OSHA has cited the U.S. Postal Service for exposing workers to potential electrical hazards at its mail processing facility in Huntington, W.Va. Proposed penalties? $212,500.
According to the release:
The willful citations address the facility’s failure to properly train employees, use safety-related work practices when exposed to energized parts and provide proper electrical protective equipment. OSHA defines a willful violation as one committed with plain indifference to or intentional disregard for employee safety and health.
A serious citation was issued for failing to utilize lockout procedures that prevent electrical parts from being inadvertently energized. OSHA issues a serious citation when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result and the employer knew, or should have known, of the hazard.
David Michaels, assistant labor secretary for OSHA, said:
These citations and sizable fines reflect the Postal Service’s failure to equip its workers with the necessary knowledge and skills to safely work with live electrical parts. The Postal Service knew that proper and effective training was needed for the safety of its workers but did not provide it.
Postal Service Faces $8,000 In OSHA Fines At Binghamton, NY Mail Facility
The U.S. Postal Service faces roughly $8,000 in proposed fines after an Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigation in June found several “serious” safety violations at the Henry Street postal facility, according to the OSHA report.
The report states:
* Exit routes were not free and unobstructed but blocked by wire cages, a pallet tilt machine and other materials and/or equipment.
* Sufficient access and working space in front of some circuit breaker panels were not provided to permit ready and safe operation and maintenance of the equipment.
* Employees performing troubleshooting on or near live energized circuits were not provided with proper protective equipment.
full story: PressConnects.com
OSHA Fines USPS $210,000 For Safety Violations at Cincinnati BMC
APWU Web News
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) fined the Postal Service $210,000 for willfully exposing employees to electrical safety hazards at the Cincinnati Bulk Mail Center (BMC).
OSHA issued the USPS three citations after inspectors found that the Postal Service failed to provide employees working on electrically energized equipment with adequate training and protective equipment, exposing them to the risk of electric shock.
The latest citations in Ohio bring the Postal Service’s total OSHA fines to more than $4.6 million.
OSHA Proposes $191,000 In Fines Against USPS at Kansas Bulk Mail Center
KANSAS CITY, Kan. – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited the U.S. Postal Service Bulk Mail Center in Kansas City, Kan., for numerous serious and repeat safety violations endangering the health and safety of its employees. OSHA has proposed $191,000 in penalties against the facility.
An OSHA inspection revealed seven alleged repeat and 21 alleged serious violations of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. OSHA’s inspection was initiated under its site-specific targeting program which targets employers with high injury and illness rates.
“There is no excuse for the lack of attention to the work environment that resulted in a multitude of violations, including seven repeat violations,” said Charles Adkins, OSHA’s regional administrator in Kansas City, Mo. “It is imperative that employers take the necessary steps to eliminate hazards and provide a safe working environment for all of their employees to prevent accidents from occurring.”
The serious violations stem from overall deficiencies in walking/working surfaces, fall protection, sling use, machine guarding, welding and electrical equipment. OSHA issues a serious violation when death or serious physical harm is likely to result from a hazard that an employer knew or should have known about.
The repeat violations address hazards associated with exit routes, eye wash facilities, electrical equipment and hazard communication. OSHA issues a repeat violation when an employer has been previously cited for the same, or a substantially similar, violation within three years of the final order date.
The Labor Department has filed an enterprise-wide complaint against the U.S. Postal Service for electrical work safety violations. The complaint asks the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission to order the USPS to correct electrical violations at all of its facilities nationwide. This complaint marks the first time OSHA has sought enterprise-wide relief as a remedy. Within the past five years, OSHA has conducted more than 900 inspections at USPS facilities across the country and has issued more than 600 citations.
The USPS Bulk Mail Center has 15 business days from receipt of the citations to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director in Wichita, Kan., or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. To report workplace accidents, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, call OSHA’s toll-free hotline at 800-321-6742.
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to assure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov
OSHA Fines USPS $357,000 For Safety Violations At Boston, MA Facility
Filed under: APWU, Dept. of Labor, osha, postal, postal news, usps
APWU Web News Article 076-2010, Aug. 3, 2010
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued the Postal Service nine “willful and serious” safety violations for exposing employees to electrical hazards at a Boston, MA postal facility. The USPS has been ordered to pay $357,000 in fines.
OSHA issued the Postal Service citations [PDF] after inspectors found untrained employees working on live machinery without proper protective equipment, exposing them to the risk of electric shock and burns.
The latest citations bring the Postal Service’s total OSHA fines to over $3.7 million.