Skip to main content

OSHA Levels Heavy Fine for Silica Standard Violation

During the first six months of implementation of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)'s new silica standard, inspectors have issued 116 citation. The highest silica related fine is $304,130 that has been proposed to a Virginia based contractor, Lanford Brothers Co, for five violations.

1. Not Ensuring Proper Protective Eye wear Was Worn by Employees

When employees do not wear protective eye wear, they are exposed to flying debris. In this case, the employees were wearing sunglasses instead of approved protective eye wear. This violation was considered serious and the proposed fine was $8,065

2. Not Providing Employees With Proper Silica Exposure Training

Employers should inform employees of all potential hazards in a work environment. They should also be trained in how to avoid exposure and the dangers of silica exposure such as Silicosis- deadly lung disease, lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and kidney disease. This is also a serious fine proposed at $8.065.

3. Not Complying with Proper Silica Removal Methods

The company did not use wet methods while using jackhammers for concrete removal without proper respiratory protection. This violation was considered willful-serious with a proposed $96,000 fine.

4. Not Assessing the Employees Potential Exposure to Silica Dust

By not evaluating the potential exposure, the contractor received another $96,000 willful-serious proposed fine.

5. Not Providing Adequate Respiratory Protection and Medical Evaluation for Employees.

The workers on the site had not been FIT tested, had facial hair that did not comply with OSHA standards, and not completed any medical evaluations before exposure to silica. This was also a $96,000 willful-serious penalty.

Get OSHA compliant!

Mobile Medical Corporation's complete and compliant packages of industry required physical exams and bio-monitoring solutions along with solid occupational healthcare solutions can efficiently test and qualify your candidate to meet the rigors of any jobsite. Through monitored testing, MMC ensures that your candidates are physically fit and properly able to perform their workload. MMC provides focused multi-platformed programs for pre-employment, Annual, HAZMAT, OSHA and DOT. Call us today at 1-888-662-8358 to learn more about how our PFT/FIT testing can help keep your work site safe from silica.

Popular posts from this blog

New Oxycodone Formula Gets Backing of FDA

The FDA recently voted in favor of pushing a new formulation of oxycodone hydrochloride for approval. The new OxyContin formula is more difficult to crush or dissolve which will hopefully make it harder to be used as a drug of abuse . The FDA recommended that Purdue Pharma's application for a new, resin-coated formulation should replace the original version, which has been on the market since 1996. Randall Flick, MD, an anesthesiologist at the Mayo Clinic who voted to recommend approval of the drug said, "Clearly the old formulation is worse than the new, although I think the difference is relatively small," Flick concluded, "Hardcore abusers are likely to devise new ways to break down the harder tablet or figure out which solvents will dissolve it fastest, within 'day or weeks' of the product's release on the market."
Read more

Utah Debates Drug Testing for Public Assistance

Utah has begun to follow the path that so many other states have traveled earlier this year. The path leads to drug testing for public assistance. Utah Senator Dennis Stowell had asked that the issue be studied carefully and Rep. Christopher Herrod said "If someone's on drugs, we shouldn't be giving them money," he said. "There's nowhere in the Constitution that says, 'You have a right to get welfare." At the center of the debate is cost and legality. An analyst for Community Action Partnership of Utah stated that "The cost to test all Utah’s families that receive 'Temporary Assistance for Needy Families' would be high." The analyst added, "That testing all welfare recipients just once would cost about $255,000 and a lawsuit against the state would likely cost more than $1 million." Further discussion and analysis is planned in the upcoming months to decide whether to study the issue further, table the issue or wait un
Read more

PHOTOS: MMC Through the Years

Mobile Medical Corporation (MMC) is excited to be celebrating our 30th Anniversary in 2020! MMC was founded on June 21, 1990. Check out some photos as we have grown over the years!            
Read more