December 04, 2018 • Volume 17, Issue 23 • A twice monthly newsletter with information about workplace safety and health.
![OSHA QuickTakes - OSHA, Occupational Safety and Health Administration](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20201218203704im_/https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/themes/custom/osha/images/qt_banner.jpg)
OSHA QuickTakes Newsletter Issue
TOP STORIES
![Photograph of firefighters | Michael Rieger/FEMA](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20201218203704im_/https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/quicktakes/wildfire.jpg)
U.S. Department of Labor Provides Assistance for California Wildfires Recovery
OSHA is joining with other federal agencies to help those impacted by devastating wildfires in California. OSHA is partnering with the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Administration, Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division to help protect worker safety and wages during cleanup and recovery operations. To learn about other Labor Department assistance efforts, read the news release.
![Photograph of a worker at a flood zone](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20201218203704im_/https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/quicktakes/flood_0.jpg)
OSHA Continues to Provide Support in Areas Hardest Hit by Hurricane Michael
OSHA continues to provide technical assistance and outreach in areas impacted by Hurricane Michael. To date, OSHA has reached more than 2,400 workers, and helped remove more than 600 workers from serious hazards through on-site interventions. Normal enforcement operations have returned throughout most of Florida and Georgia. For more information, see the news release.
![Photograph of a grain bin](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20201218203704im_/https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/quicktakes/grainbin.jpg)
Stand-Up for Grain Safety Week Set for March 25-29, 2019
Grain handling and storage is a key safety issue for the grain, feed, and processing industries. OSHA and its Alliance partner, the National Grain and Feed Association, in cooperation with the Grain Elevator and Processing Society, will hold Stand-Up for Grain Safety Week, March 25-29, 2019. The event will focus on grain bin entry, machine guarding, respiratory protection, falls, heat, lockout/tagout, and other industry issues. Employers and workers are encouraged to participate in local stand-up events. Visit the Stand-Up website for more information on the national outreach campaign.
![Photograph of construction workers](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20201218203704im_/https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/quicktakes/standdown.jpg)
OSHA Announces National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls May 6-10, 2019
Employers and workers are invited to participate in the fourth annual National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction, May 6-10, 2019. The weeklong outreach event encourages employers and workers to pause during the workday to discuss fall hazards and how to prevent them. Falls are the leading cause of death in the construction industry, accounting for 37 percent of fatalities industry-wide. For resources on fall prevention visit OSHA's webpage.
ENFORCEMENT
![New Jersey icon](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20201218203704im_/https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/quicktakes/newjersey.png)
New Jersey Manufacturer Cited after Worker Suffers Amputation
Mister Cookie Face, LLC, was cited for machine safety hazards after a sanitation worker suffered an amputation when a machine activated while the employee attempted to unjam it. The company faces $103,476 in penalties for failing to lockout machines during servicing, ensure workers used personal protective equipment, and prevent worker exposures to bloodborne pathogens. Read the news release for more information.
![Florida icon](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20201218203704im_/https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/quicktakes/florida_1.png)
Florida Roofing Contractors Cited for Exposing Employees to Fall Hazards
OSHA cited Elo Restoration, Inc., for exposing workers to fall hazards at two worksites. The roofing contractor faces $116,551 in penalties after OSHA initiated an inspection as part its Regional Emphasis Program on Falls in Construction. For details, read the news release.
Elo Restoration was also cited, along with Florida Roofing Experts, Inc., for exposing workers to fall hazards at another worksite. OSHA responded to a complaint of unsafe roofing activities, and determined that the companies failed to ensure workers were attached to a fall protection system. In this case, both companies were issued the maximum allowable penalty of $129,336. Read the news release for more information.
![Alabama icon](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20201218203704im_/https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/quicktakes/alabama.png)
Alabama Food Processor Cited for Amputation and Other Hazards
OSHA cited Southern Classic Food Group, LLC, for amputation, lockout/tagout, and other safety hazards after two workers were hospitalized in separate incidents. One worker suffered burns and another suffered an amputation. The company was also cited for failing to ensure that energy sources were isolated before line-breaking work, and failing to implement a bloodborne pathogens program. Southern Classic faces $164,997 in penalties. For more information, read the news release.
![California icon](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20201218203704im_/https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/quicktakes/california_0.png)
California Division of Occupational Safety and Health Fines Construction Company for Safety Violations
California OSHA issued three citations and $66,000 in penalties to Empire Equipment Service, Inc., after a worker was killed in a trench cave-in. Inspectors concluded that the company failed to equip the excavation with adequate cave-in protection; inspect the excavation areas and protective system prior to the start of work; and correct unsafe conditions.
SAFETY AND HEALTH OUTREACH
![Photograph of high school safety event](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20201218203704im_/https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/quicktakes/highschool.jpg)
OSHA Promotes Young Worker Safety at Missouri High School
OSHA's Kansas City office participated in a high school safety event attended by more than 2,000 students. OSHA staff talked with students about workers' rights, safety and health in their workplaces, whistleblower rights, and how to use the agency's website. They also provided teachers with information about a regional emphasis program on fertilizer storage and handling, and OSHA training classes.
![Photograph of tower crane](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20201218203704im_/https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/quicktakes/towercrane.jpg)
OSHA Provides Assistance During Typhoon Recovery in the Northern Mariana Islands
In October, Typhoon Yutu struck the Northern Mariana Islands causing extensive damage. In the aftermath, OSHA has performed 50 interventions to ensure the safety of employers and workers involved with recovery efforts. One intervention involved overseeing workers who were dismantling a tower crane that had fallen against a hotel under construction.
COOPERATIVE PROGRAMS
![SHARP - Safety & Health Achievement Recognition Program logo](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20201218203704im_/https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/quicktakes/sharplogo_1.png)
Nevada's On-Site Consultation Program Helps Manufacturer Reduce Injuries and Costs
Haws Corporation, a manufacturer of customized hydration and emergency response products, contacted Nevada's On-Site Consultation Program to help improve its workplace safety and health program. The consultation revealed a need for workers to understand safety data sheets, so an in-depth training session was conducted and biweekly reviews instituted. Collaboration with Nevada state safety consultants resulted in an increase in employee engagement in safety programs and a decrease in workers' compensation insurance premiums. This year, the company was accepted into the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program. For more information, see the success story.
![OSHA Alliance logo](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20201218203704im_/https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/quicktakes/alliancelogo_0.png)
OSHA Alliance Partners Commit to Improving Worker Safety and Health
The Consulates General of the Philippines and Ecuador in Chicago signed two-year agreements to help Filipino and Ecuadorean nationals and others understand workers' rights and employers' responsibilities under the Occupational Safety and Health Act.
SAFETY AND HEALTH RESOURCES
![Illustration of CPWR infographic](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20201218203704im_/https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/quicktakes/infographic.jpg)
SOCIAL MEDIA
![Learn how to keep workers safe this holiday season as they fulfill customer orders, deliver packages, and manage crowds of shoppers.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20201218203704im_/https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/quicktakes/holidaytweet.jpg)
Follow Us on Twitter and Visit Us on Facebook
Follow @OSHA_DOL on Twitter (and thanks for retweeting!) and visit the DOL Facebook page for OSHA information and resources. OSHA also provides news and commentary on workplace safety and health from its senior leadership, staff, and guest contributors on the DOL blog.