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☆ Dollar General in settlement talks over workplace safety violations, federal agency says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Natasha Piñon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The exterior of a Dollar General convenience store is seen on March 16, 2023 in Austin, Texas. Dollar General is in settlement talks with federal regulators after the discount retailer was labeled a "severe violator" of workplace safety rules, according to a spokesperson for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Dollar General did not comment directly on the settlement talks. A Dollar General spokesperson told CNBC "we regularly review and refine our safety programs, and reinforce them through training, ongoing communication, recognition and accountability." Since 2017, OSHA inspected over 270 Dollar General stores, finding more than 100 workplace safety violations.

☆ 'In memory of Jordyn's fingers please lend a hand': Family has cheeky fundraiser for worker who lost fingers in Cold Stone Creamery incident
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-26 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Jordyn Martin, 21, lost three fingers to an ice cream machine after a hand got caught, reports say. Jordyn Martin, a 21-year-old who worked at a Cold Stone Creamery in Corvallis, Oregon, was in a workplace incident on March 15 that left her with only seven fingers, the Corvallis Gazette-Times reported. According to the local news, Martin's hand was mangled by an ice cream machine after a towel she was holding got caught in its rotors. "In memory of Jordyn's fingers please lend a hand," the fundraiser is titled. According to Martin's fundraiser description, her dominant hand was hurt, and doctors were unable to reattach the amputated digits during surgery.

☆ I'm an underground miner making as much as $160,000 a year without a college degree. The job saved my life.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-26 | by ( Aaron Mok | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Cory Rockwell is an underground miner at copper mine Nevada Copper in the town of Yerington. Now, I'm an underground miner — and the job saved my life. Three years later, I moved to a different surface mine, but I really wanted to work underground, so I was applying to underground mines on the side. Years later, I am now a powders guy at underground copper mine Nevada Copper. At Nevada Copper, I'm responsible for dropping explosives into the holes drilled into the ground.

☆ A church fired a worker who raised concerns after finding rats and spiders in the kitchen of its childcare center, the Labor Department said
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A Texas church fired a worker who spoke to health authorities about pests in its daycare center, per OSHA. The worker said he'd spotted rats, roaches, and spiders in the facility's kitchen and cafeteria. OSHA ordered New Mount Zion Baptist Church to rehire him and pay him $31,000 in back wages and damages. The next day, the worker was told he was being terminated based on a vote by the church's board, per OSHA. In a preliminary order, OSHA told the church to reinstate the worker and pay him more than $11,000 in back wages and $20,000 in damages.

☆ Republicans' plans to cut the budget could mean millions lost in back pay, more dangerous workplaces, and jobs sent overseas, the White House says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The White House is once again attacking the Freedom Caucus for its plan to cut spending. Per a fact sheet, the White House said the Caucus' plan would result in lost wages and harmful working conditions. Through cutting back on investigations and inspections, the White House estimates that the House Freedom Caucus' plans would cost 135,000 workers an average of $1,000 in back pay. Reversing spending in the Inflation Reduction Act – the cutting of which is one of the House Freedom Caucus' core tenets — would move millions of jobs for those projects overseas, the White House said. —House Freedom Caucus (@freedomcaucus) March 10, 2023Last week, the Freedom Caucus unveiled their broad plan to address the debt ceiling through major spending cuts.

☆ Dollar General enters the retail 'labor hoarding' war with a $100 million investment to boost scheduled hours for employees
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( Dominick Reuter | Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Discount retailer Dollar General is the latest employer to join the industry's "labor hoarding" war. download the app Email address By clicking ‘Sign up’, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider as well as other partner offers and accept our Terms of Service and Privacy PolicyRetail's "labor hoarding" war now has a General — Dollar General, that is. CEO Jeff Owen told investors to expect an additional investment of approximately $100 million in 2023 as the company aims to boost scheduled hours for store associates. Rolltainers full of candy, toilet paper, and other dry goods sit in cage-like rolltainers outside of a Dollar General store in Minnesota. Insider sourceKeeping shelves stocked and unpacking inventory has been a problem for many Dollar General locations.

March 16 (Reuters) - BP (BP.L) violated U.S. process safety rules and did not train workers properly at its Toledo, Ohio refinery in September, contributing to the death of two workers at the plant last year, U.S. federal investigators said Thursday. The two refinery workers died from their burns following an explosion in September 2022. Investigators said BP Products North America failed to properly train operators to identify the presence of naphtha, a flammable liquid hydrocarbon mixture, during an upset. BP Products North America is a Houston based subsidiary of BP and operated the 150,800 barrel-per-day Toledo, Ohio, refinery at the time of the explosion. BP Products North America has 15 business days to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

☆ A worker died in a ship's cargo hold in Florida after 2 tons of paper crushed him against a wall, Department of Labor says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A worker was crushed to death by two tons of paper being hoisted onto a ship, OSHA said. OSHA said the crane operator hadn't been able to see the signalman guiding the load movement. The crane operator didn't have a clear view of employees in the hold below, OSHA said. When the ship pitched with a wave, one of the loads crushed a worker against the vessel's wall, OSHA said. Premier Bulk Stevedoring was cited for one repeat and two serious violations and OSHA has proposed $43,750 in penalties.

☆ Viral TikTok of Lowe's employee screaming for help prompts debate among current and former workers about safety training at the home-improvement chain
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( Ben Tobin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

A Lowe's employee resigned in February after a viral TikTok showed him being crushed by an object. In fact, some employees told Insider that Lowe's safety trainings are among the best they've seen in the retail industry. What does Lowe's safety training entail? "Powered equipment training is a joke compared to any other retail environment," a former Michigan Lowe's employee said. Are you a current or former Lowe's employee who wants to share your thoughts and experiences about safety at the company?

☆ Dollar General's stores are so overrun with merchandise that fire marshals are closing them
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Some Dollar General stores have temporarily closed because they are overcrowded with goods. But some Dollar General stores appear to be unloading truck deliveries directly onto sales floors. Insider identified the stores using local media reports, interviews with local officials, and public records of Dollar General store inspections. Dollar General stores with too much inventory sitting in the aisles can violate fire safety codesIn Pittsylvania County, located in Southern Virginia, county officials ordered two Dollar General stores to close temporarily last fall. But the county still hears from customers about how packed Dollar General stores in Pittsylvania are, he added.

☆ A group challenging Biden's student-loan forgiveness in the Supreme Court this week says it's 'very clear' the relief is illegal: 'We feel very good about our case'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The Job Creators Network, one of the groups challenging Biden's student-debt relief in the Supreme Court, said it feels "very good" about its case. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court will hear arguments for two lawsuits that blocked the relief. Biden's administration and Democrats have pushed back on the plaintiffs' standing to sue. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court is taking on two lawsuits that paused Biden's plan to cancel up to $20,000 in student debt for federal borrowers. Both of the lawsuits challenging Biden's plan said the broad debt relief is an overreach of that authority and should not be done without Congressional approval.

☆ Alec Baldwin's 'Rust' manslaughter charges downgraded, cutting possible prison time
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Feb 20 (Reuters) - Prosecutors have downgraded the involuntary manslaughter charges against Alec Baldwin, reducing the possible prison time the Hollywood star may face for the 2021 fatal shooting on the set of the movie "Rust," charging documents showed. Carmack-Altwies filed altered charges for Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed on Friday, removing the firearm enhancement and reducing their possible prison sentence from a minimum of five years to a maximum of 18 months. “We applaud the decision of the district attorney to dismiss the firearm enhancement and it was the right call, ethically, and on the merits," said Jason Bowles, an attorney for Gutierrez-Reed. In 2022, the criteria for applying the firearm enhancement -with the 5-year minimum prison sentence - was expanded to include when a weapon was simply "discharged" in the commission of a noncapital felony. Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed are both expected to make an initial court appearance in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on Feb. 24.

☆ Mars Wrigley fined after two workers fell into a vat of chocolate in workplace safety incident
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-12 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

OSHA has handed Mars Wrigley a five-figure fine for a June incident at a Pennsylvania confectionary factory. Officials say two workers fell into a tank of chocolate while doing maintenance work. The pair had to be rescued by emergency responders and taken to a hospital, reports say. OSHA is holding Mars Wrigley responsible for the incident, the Associated Press reported. A Mars Wrigley representative told reporter that employee safety "is a top priority for our business."

☆ Amazon told lawmakers it wouldn't build storm shelters in warehouses after fatal collapse
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Annie Palmer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Amazon said it won't build storm shelters in its warehouses after a tornado ripped through one of its Illinois facilities more than a year ago, killing six workers. OSHA guidelines say that basements, storm cellars or small interior rooms provide the best protection from a tornado. Amazon previously said it followed federal guidance to tell employees to take shelter immediately after there was a tornado warning. The families of two employees killed in the building collapse have filed wrongful death lawsuits against Amazon and the companies that built the warehouse. Reconstruction of the Edwardsville warehouse began in June, according to KSDK, the NBC affiliate in St. Louis, Missouri.

☆ Federal regulators tell Amazon that the 'gamification' of its warehouses contributes to a 'high risk of serious' injury
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Sindhu Sundar | Katherine Long | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Amazon was cited again by federal regulators alleging its warehouse workers face "high" injury risks. Regulators said a "gamification system" encouraged working at a fast pace that could pose injury. Amazon said it is cooperating with investigators and that it has worked to lower injury rates. In a letter targeting the warehouse in Idaho, OSHA said Amazon should change its "gamification system to eliminate incentives for excessively paced work." In recent months, Amazon has been hit by similar OSHA citations relating to injury risks facing workers, and to how it tracked and monitored those injuries.

☆ Amazon cited by Labor Department for second time in a month over warehouse injuries
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Annie Palmer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Federal safety inspectors on Wednesday issued citations against Amazon at three of its warehouses for putting workers at risk of serious injury, the second such penalty in a month. The move comes after OSHA last month cited Amazon for failing to keep workers safe at three other facilities. "Amazon's operating methods are creating hazardous work conditions and processes, leading to serious worker injuries," said Doug Parker, assistant secretary for Occupational Safety and Health, in a statement. Amazon also faces a separate investigation by the U.S. Attorney's Office's civil division that centers around worker safety hazards at the e-retailer's facilities nationwide. As part of the probe, investigators are also looking into whether Amazon has accurately reported worker injuries and if it misrepresented those injuries to lenders to obtain credit.

☆ Alec Baldwin, armorer to be charged over 'Rust' shooting
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( Andrew Hay | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Jan 31 (Reuters) - Actor Alec Baldwin and armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed will be charged on Tuesday with involuntary manslaughter for the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of Western "Rust" in 2021, a New Mexico prosecutor said. A sheriff's office investigation has yet to reveal how live ammunition got onto the set outside Santa Fe. Legal analysts have said prosecutors will struggle to win convictions without proof Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed knew live ammunition was present but took no precautions. Live ammunition is strictly forbidden on sets. The armorer testified to New Mexico's worker safety agency (OSHA) on Dec. 7 that the shooting might have been prevented had she had more time to train Baldwin.

☆ Baldwin charged for 'reckless acts' leading to 'Rust' shooting
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( Andrew Hay | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Baldwin and set armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed were each charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter. Baldwin's case is remarkable in that there is little or no precedent for a Hollywood actor to face criminal charges for an on-set shooting. A statement of probable cause by the prosecution's special investigator, Robert Shilling, made clear Baldwin was being charged as an actor and producer on the low-budget movie. Videos from inside the church prior to the shooting show Baldwin with his finger on the trigger, Shilling said. [1/6] Actor Alec Baldwin departs his home, as he will be charged with involuntary manslaughter for the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the movie "Rust", in New York, U.S., January 31, 2023.

☆ Dollar General hit by more worker safety fines at Florida, Alabama stores
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Dollar General has been hit with more fines for worker safety violations, this time for issues at three Southeast stores amounting to $387,000, the Department of Labor said Thursday. Dollar General did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In the past 11 months, dozens of similar violations were identified at 19 stores in Alabama, Florida and Georgia, the agency said. In August, Dollar General was hit with nearly $1.3 million in fines for similar violations at three of the company's Georgia locations. In August, rival Dollar Tree was also fined $1.2 million by OSHA for worker safety violations.

☆ Federal government investigating possible human trafficking of children who cleaned slaughterhouses
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Laura Strickler | Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Julia-Ainsley-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +12 min

There is no indication DHS is investigating the company that hired the children, Packers Sanitation Services Inc., or PSSI, for human trafficking. The Labor Department’s Child Labor Regulations designate many roles in slaughterhouse and meatpacking facilities as hazardous for minors. The Labor Department says its investigation, which began in August, is ongoing as it scours company records from 50 locations. I don’t anticipate unless there are severe ramifications for this that it will actually change policies.”The Labor Department has issued no penalties or fines to date. Labor DepartmentQuestions about child labor at PSSI in Grand Island and Worthington are not new.

☆ U.S. agency says Amazon.com exposed workers to safety hazards
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Jonathan Stempel | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol/File PhotoNEW YORK, Jan 18 (Reuters) - A U.S. government agency on Wednesday issued citations against Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O) for failing to keep warehouse workers safe, by exposing them to ergonomic hazards that resulted in serious injuries. The agency said workers at the Florida facility were also exposed to "struck-by" hazards, where merchandise that was unevenly stacked or not secured was susceptible to collapse. Doug Parker, the head of OSHA, said Amazon's processes were "designed for speed but not safety, and they resulted in serious worker injuries." Amazon has said it invests hundreds of millions of dollars annually to ensure worker safety. Safety concerns, including after the deaths of six workers when an Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville, Illinois, collapsed during a December 2021 tornado, have helped spur union campaigns at Amazon warehouses across the country.

☆ US Labor Department accuses Amazon of failing to keep warehouse workers safe
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Catherine Thorbecke | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Amazon has been accused by federal safety regulators of failing to keep warehouse workers safe from workplace hazards at three US facilities, in the latest example of government officials scrutinizing the e-commerce giant’s labor practices. The Department of Labor said Wednesday that its Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Amazon and issued hazard letters related to injury risks from workers lifting packages after inspecting three warehouse facilities in Deltona, Florida; Waukegan, Illinois; and New Windsor, New York. An Amazon spokesperson said the company “strongly” disagrees with OSHA’s claims and intends to appeal. “We’ve cooperated fully, and the government’s allegations don’t reflect the reality of safety at our sites,” Kelly Nantel, an Amazon spokesperson, told CNN in a statement Wednesday. But Amazon is also known for carefully tracking worker productivity and for working conditions that have been called “grueling.”“We have to keep up with the pace,” Jennifer Bates, an Amazon warehouse employee who helped organize a union push at an Alabama facility, said in testimony before the Senate Budget Committee in 2021.

☆ Amazon is breaking the law by putting warehouse workers at risk for back and joint injuries, federal regulators say in new citations
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Katherine Long | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Federal safety regulators fined Amazon $60,269 for putting workers at risk for back, joint injuries. Injuries linked to the "high frequency" of "repetitive tasks" at Amazon warehouses, regulators said. The citations are the latest in a series of regulatory actions targeting Amazon's warehouse injuries. Workers at Amazon warehouses are four times as likely to suffer such injuries as workers in non-Amazon warehouses, a review of Washington state workers' compensation data showed. Federal safety inspectors with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited three Amazon warehouses, in Florida, Illinois and New York.

☆ Amazon cited by Labor Department for exposing warehouse workers to safety hazards
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Annie Palmer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The Labor Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued citations against Amazon at three of its warehouses for exposing workers to safety hazards, the department announced Wednesday. Amazon also faces a separate investigation by the U.S. Attorney's Office's civil division that centers around worker safety hazards at the e-retailer's facilities nationwide. Amazon warehouse workers have previously complained that the company's pace of work prevents them from taking adequate bathroom and rest breaks, and leads to unfair disciplinary actions. In April, workers at an Amazon warehouse on New York's Staten Island voted to form the company's first U.S. union. Workers at another Staten Island facility rejected a union, while a second election at an Amazon warehouse in Alabama is being contested.

☆ American Airlines retaliated against cabin crew who reported illnesses caused by toxic fumes on aircraft, say federal investigators
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Ryan Hogg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

American Airlines retaliated against employees who reported work-related illnesses, per the DOL. Cabin crew said they were discouraged from reporting illnesses after jet fumes entered the cabin. In a statement, the Department of Labor (DOL) said flight attendants reported worker illnesses to the airline caused by jet fuel fumes seeping into aircraft cabins. But an investigation by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) — initiated by a whistleblower tip-off — found that upon reporting these illnesses, the airline retaliated against employees. The effects on passengers of toxic jet fumes entering the cabin are unclear.

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