OSHA Enforcement

Olivet Management LLC, a real estate development and management company that owns the former Harlem Valley Psychiatric Center in the Wingdale section of Dover Plains, N.Y., faces a total of $2,359,000 in proposed fines from OSHA, which cited the company for exposing its own employees, as well as employees for 13 contractors, to asbestos and lead hazards during cleanup operations in preparation for a tour of the site by potential investors....More

In a move that surprised even long-time advisors and left Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez speechless, President Barack Obama, in a keynote address to the American Petroleum Institute, said he was “open to the idea” of privatizing OSHA. Although the president was short on details, he noted the federal budget for FY 2015 sets aside $565 million for OSHA, which, according to the budget documents allows “OSHA to inspect hazardous workplaces and work with employers to help them understand and comply with safety and health regulations.”...More

A Sherwood, Ore., wildlife sanctuary where a cougar mauled an employee in November violated its safety protocols by frequently allowing its keepers to work alone, Oregon OSHA alleges. Renee Radziwon Chapman, who was attempting to clean one of the cages at the sanctuary when a cougar attacked her on Nov. 9, 2013, had worked alone on the day of her death and on the previous day, Oregon OSHA contends. WildCat Haven’s policy mandates that two qualified staff members be present during any contact with cougars....More