OSHA Comments on Record Number of Egregious Cases
From August 16 Issue of OSHA QuickTakes –
“There’s a new sheriff in town,” Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis warned during her 2009 swearing-in ceremony. Following up on that warning, OSHA is aggressively enforcing its standards when employers show indifference to protecting the safety and lives of their workers. During the past year and a half, OSHA investigators have issued citations for egregious violations in 17 cases, including those involving BP Products North America, Kleen Energy and Cooperative Plus. This is more than twice as many egregious cases as were issued during the two years before the current administration took office. OSHA inspectors cite egregious violations when an employer shows multiple instances of willful and flagrant indifference to correcting workplace hazards, many of which tragically result in worker fatalities, worksite catastrophes (such as explosions or chemical releases) or large numbers of worker injuries or illnesses. “We will not tolerate this type of blatant and egregious disregard for the health and safety of workers. Employers need to know there will be consequences,” said OSHA Assistant Secretary David Michaels.