-Electrical injuries cost employers approximately $15.75 million per case in direct and indirect costs, according to a recent study by the Electric Power Research Institute in Palo Alto, CA.
-In the last two weeks, OSHA has fined the following USPS facilities for willful negligence of violating electrical safety standards. Many more USPS fines are anticipated, as the various local chapters of the American Postal Workers Union presses OSHA for workplace inspections.
o Providence, RI $558K
o Denver, CO $217K
o Bedford Park, IL $210K
-The Protecting America’s Workers Act (H.R. 2067), introduced by U.S. Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D- CA), chair of the subcommittee, will strengthen and modernize the Occupational Safety and Health Act, the law that ensures the health and safety of American workers. Part of this proposal is increased OSHA penalties for job safety violations and establishment of mandatory minimum penalties for violations resulting in worker deaths, so fines are more than just a slap on the wrist. Criminal violations of the OSH Act would be made a felony, instead of a misdemeanor, and be expanded to cover cases that involve serious bodily injuries, not just worker deaths.
o Serious and Other than Serious penalties would rise to $10,000 and would be required to be between $20,000 and $50,000 if the violation resulted in a death
o Willful and Repeat violation penalties would go to $100,000 and would jump to a potential $250,000 if the violation resulted in a death.
- The number of Federal OSHA inspections in 2010 is predicted to be 40,000.
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I think this is a great step taken by OSHA... Even after the workers' revolutionary acts to impose regulation to protect workers' interests and rights was brought out. To date workers are still struggling to protect their rights and interest against big corporations who willingly will exploit workers anywhere in the world. However, workers should be grateful that atleast in America, there are organization who are implementing and creating awareness for workers' wellfare and well being. In some parts of the world, workers are hopeless.
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