Government News
OSHA Capable of Imposing Heftier Fines
Based on a recent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC) decision
against General Motors (GM), OSHA is now able to impose fines well into the six-figures.
OSHA assessed penalties totaling $2.78 million against a GM plant in Oklahoma City,
for an accident that occurred 16 years ago killing an employee.
The OSHRC decision affirms OSHA's policy of assessing per-employee penalties when
the cited regulation clearly prohibits individual acts rather than a single course
of action. OSHA used this language to calculate fines for training on a per-employee
basis.
Although GM appealed, the commission determined that violations are susceptible
to citation on a per-employee basis. This opens to door to heavier fines in the
future.
To learn more, visit:
http://pbp.typepad.com/nobull/2008/01/osha-okd-to-rak.html
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