From the APWU:

An audit report [PDF] conducted by the Postal Service’s Inspector General’s Office (OIG) on the USPS Health and Safety Program, released Nov. 14, is limited in both scope and depth and is thus of little value in assessing the agency’s overall efforts to promote a safe workplace, the union has determined.

“The report should not be viewed as a comprehensive audit of the Postal Service’s safety program but rather as an unfocused snap shot of the Postal Service’s application of a piece of its safety program,” said APWU Safety and Health Specialist Corey Thompson.

“Based on the identification of numerous hazards and problems found by study, in such a small sampling of the overall USPS safety program the report can only be viewed as evidence that many more unsafe conditions would be discovered by the OIG if it were to perform a more comprehensive audit,” he added.

Thompson also noted the OIG did not consult national union officials for their views and expertise, and it overlooked a broad range of electrical and automation related hazards at USPS facilities.

via OIG Issues Report on USPS Health and Safety Program.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has ordered Knoxville-based Heartland Transportation Inc. to reinstate a former employee and pay the individual $62,090 in compensatory and punitive damages plus more than two years of back wages, interest, benefits and reasonable attorney’s fees. The order follows OSHA’s determination that the company violated the employee’s rights under the whistleblower provisions of the Surface Transportation Assistance Act by terminating the employee for complaining about defective vehicles.

“Putting defective trucks on American roads endangers the company’s drivers and all other motor vehicle operators who share the road with a truck that is improperly maintained. Drivers have a right to complain without fear of retaliation when they are asked to operate an unsafe vehicle,” said Teresa A. Harrison, OSHA’s acting regional administrator in Atlanta.

Heartland Transportation is a contract mail carrier for the U.S. Postal Service. In August 2009, the employee was assigned to deliver a truckload of U.S. mail to a customer in Pontiac, Mich., when he found that his assigned trailer had a nonworking light. After complaining, the light was repaired and the delivery made. The employee had complained about such mechanical failures on a number of previous occasions, but the problems recurred. Accordingly, he informed his employer that he would not drive trucks with such failures in the future. After returning to the company’s facility from Michigan, the driver found that his name had been removed from the driving schedule. He inquired about this development, and, during a meeting to discuss the issue, was informed that his employment was terminated. The employee then submitted a whistleblower complaint to OSHA.

The order issued by OSHA also requires the trucking company to expunge any adverse references from the complainant’s personnel records relating to the discharge, and to post a notice to employees and provide them a fact sheet with notification of their rights under the STAA.

OSHA enforces the whistleblower provisions of the Surface Transportation Assistance Act and 20 other statutes protecting employees who report violations of various airline, commercial motor carrier, consumer product, environmental, financial reform, food safety, health care reform, nuclear, pipeline, public transportation agency, railroad, maritime and securities laws. Employers are prohibited from retaliating against employees who raise various protected concerns or provide protected information to the employer or to the government. Employees who believe they have been retaliated against for engaging in protected conduct may file a complaint with the secretary of labor for an investigation by OSHA’s Whistleblower Protection Program. More information is available online at http://www.whistleblowers.gov.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to ensure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.

Editor’s note: The U.S. Department of Labor does not release names of employees involved in whistleblower complaints.

NEW YORK, May 12 — The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited the U.S. Postal Service for five alleged repeat violations of safety standards following an inspection of the Morgan Processing and Distribution Center, located at 341 Ninth Ave. in Manhattan. The Postal Service faces a total of $93,500 in proposed fines following an OSHA inspection prompted by complaints.

OSHA found exit routes blocked by bins, carts, boxes and other equipment, and electrical control panels blocked by carts and bins. In addition, fire extinguishers were not mounted and readily available for use, floor expansion joints and other areas where powered industrial trucks are operated were not maintained in good condition, and required refresher training was not provided to an employee who operated a powered industrial truck.

"These are all conditions for which the Postal Service previously has been cited at other facilities in New York," said Kay Gee, OSHA’s Manhattan area director. "Left uncorrected, these hazards expose workers to the dangers of fire, tripping and struck-by injuries, while also being unable to exit the workplace swiftly and safely in the event of a fire or other emergency. The Postal Service must take effective steps to eliminate these hazards and prevent them from happening again."

A repeat violation exists when an employer previously has been cited for the same or a similar violation of a standard, regulation, rule or order at any other facility in federal enforcement states within the last five years. In this case, the repeat citations stem from the Postal Service having been cited by OSHA in 2007 and 2010 for similar hazards at facilities in Binghamton, Melville and Jamaica, N.Y.

"One means of addressing and eliminating recurring hazards, such as these, is having an effective illness and injury prevention program in which management and workers proactively identify and eliminate hazardous conditions on a continual basis," said Robert Kulick, OSHA’s regional administrator in New York.

The Postal Service has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to comply, meet with the OSHA area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. This inspection was conducted by OSHA’s Manhattan Area Office; telephone 212-620-3200. To report workplace incidents, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, call the agency’s toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742).

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to ensure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited the U.S. Postal Service on Royal Parkway in Nashville with a repeat safety violation following an employee being struck by a mail cart. The proposed penalty totals $50,000.

In December 2010, an industrial powered tug with defective brakes hit a mail cart, which in turn struck a worker. The Postal Service is being cited with one repeat safety violation for exposing workers to being struck by powered industrial trucks when power tugs were not removed from service after being identified with damaged or defective parts.

OSHA has cited other Postal Service facilities for the same violation as recently as July 2010. A repeat violation exists when an employer previously has been cited for the same or a similar violation of a standard, regulation, rule or order at any other facility in federal enforcement states within the last five years.

"Using equipment that is not in proper working condition, especially defective brakes, is dangerous and that equipment should be removed from service," said William Cochran, director of OSHA’s Nashville Area Office. "Such hazards must be addressed and corrected, and OSHA will not tolerate this type of disregard for employees’ safety and health."

Separately, the Royal Parkway location was cited for a willful violation in February 2011 involving use of damaged or unrepaired dock levelers, and the Postal Service is currently contesting that citation.

The Postal Service has 15 business days from receipt of the latest citation and proposed penalty to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

The site was inspected by staff from OSHA’s Nashville Area Office, 51 Century Blvd., Suite 340, Nashville, TN 37214; telephone 615-232-3803. To report workplace incidents, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, call the agency’s toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742).

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to ensure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.

via 2011 – 03/24/2011 – US Department of Labor’s OSHA cites US Postal Service in Nashville, Tenn., with $50,000 fine for repeat safety hazard.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited the U.S. Postal Service on Royal Parkway in Nashville with one willful safety violation for allowing workers to use damaged and unrepaired dock levelers, carrying a penalty of $70,000.

OSHA began its inspection following a complaint that an employee was seriously injured while lifting a damaged steel-hinged plate that provides a bridge between the dock and a truck trailer. The strap that the employee was using to lift the plate slipped off the steel flap, which caused the employee to lose balance and fall backwards, striking the concrete floor.

A willful violation exists when an employer has demonstrated either an intentional disregard for the requirements of the law or plain indifference to employee safety and health.

“The Postal Service was made aware of the hazards related to its use of dock levelers that should have been removed from service,” said William Cochran, director of OSHA’s Nashville Area Office. “The hazard must be addressed and corrected because this type of disregard for employees’ safety and health will not be tolerated.”

The Postal Service has 15 business days from receipt of the citations and proposed penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

The site was inspected by staff from OSHA’s Nashville Area Office, 51 Century Blvd., Suite 340, Nashville, TN 37214; telephone 615-232-3803. To report workplace incidents, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, call OSHA’s toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742).

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) slammed the USPS again for safety violations — this time for under-recording workplace injuries and illnesses. In recent months, OSHA found 242 instances of recordkeeping violations during inspections of 10 postal facilities.

“OSHA believes that under-recording of injuries and illnesses may be a pervasive problem at the USPS,” wrote Dr. David Michaels, Assistant Secretary for OSHA, in a Jan. 4 letter to the Postal Service [PDF].

“The percentage of the inspected facilities with violations is indicative of a systemic failure by the USPS” in properly maintaining logs of work-related illness and injuries, Michaels wrote.

In recent months, OSHA received more than 170 worker complaints alleging ergonomic hazards at Processing & Distribution Centers (P&DCs) nationwide. OSHA selected 10 of the facilities for inspection, and “found numerous problems with the USPS practices regarding OSHA’s injury and illness recordkeeping requirements,” Michaels wrote.

Inspectors issued the Postal Service 37 citations after finding that the USPS failed to record injuries; the number of lost or restricted days; accurately describe injuries; complete proper OSHA forms; record injuries within seven days, and failed to review injury and illness logs for accuracy.

The most common violations were failure to record injuries, which was found at six sites, and failure to accurately describe injuries, which occurred at four facilities.

In response to the findings, OSHA “strongly suggested” that the Postal Service “do a thorough evaluation of recordkeeping at all of its postal facilities” to ensure that all work-related illness and injury logs for calendar years 2006 to present have been properly maintained, and to correct any errors. OSHA also recommended that the USPS “evaluate its general recordkeeping policies,” and provide training for employees required to perform recordkeeping duties to ensure practices are accurate.

“Accurate records are one of the key ways to identify and predict accident trends, and to target corrective measures,” said Corey Thompson, the union’s Safety and Health Specialist. “The problem of improper recordkeeping of workplace injuries and illness is a priority safety issue for the APWU in 2011.”

Michaels said OSHA will conduct 20 to 30 annual follow-up inspections of USPS facilities selected at random to ensure compliance with recordkeeping requirements. Facilities that fail to do so, or do not correct OSHA logs for the past three years, will be subject to “willful and repeat citations,” he wrote.

The 10 OSHA inspections were conducted at P&DCs in Chicago, IL; Lehigh Valley, PA; Pittsburgh, PA; Mankato, MN; Seattle, WA; Wareham, MA; Madison, WI; Cayce, SC; Orlando, FL, and Providence, RI. The only facilities that had no recordkeeping violations were in Orlando and Providence.

DES MOINES, Iowa – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited the U.S. Postal Service Processing and Distribution Center in Des Moines for two alleged serious and one alleged repeat violation of federal workplace safety standards for failing to properly train workers on powered industrial truck hazards. Proposed fines total $46,200.

“Our inspection revealed that workers were not being properly trained to identify hazards associated with operating powered industrial trucks,” said Charles Adkins, OSHA’s regional administrator in Kansas City, Mo. “It is imperative that employers take the necessary steps to eliminate hazards by training workers and providing a safe working environment.”

OSHA initiated an investigation in October at the Des Moines facility following a complaint alleging a lack of powered industrial truck training and operation deficiencies. The serious citations include failing to provide refresher training when workers were observed operating powered industrial trucks in an unsafe manner and to certify that workers were properly trained. A serious citation is issued when there is a substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.

The repeat citation was issued for failing to conduct an evaluation of each powered industrial truck operator at least every three years. OSHA issues a repeat violation when an employer previously has been cited for the same or a similar violation of a standard, regulation, rule or order at any other facility in federal enforcement states within the last five years.

The U.S. Postal Service Processing and Distribution Center in Des Moines has 15 business days from receipt of the citations and proposed penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director in Des Moines or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

The inspection was conducted by OSHA’s Des Moines Area Office, telephone 515-284-4794. To report workplace accidents, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, call OSHA’s toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742).

The U.S. Department of Labor has filed an enterprise-wide complaint against the U.S. Postal Service for electrical work safety violations. The complaint asks the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission to order the Postal Service to correct electrical violations at all its facilities nationwide. This complaint marks the first time OSHA has sought enterprise-wide relief as a remedy.

BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited the U.S. Postal Service for workplace safety violations found at a mail processing facility located at 3010 East Cumberland Road in Bluefield. Proposed penalties total $287,000.

"These citations and sizable fines reflect the Postal Service’s failure to ensure that the proper safety practices were being used by employees working with live electrical parts, leaving them vulnerable to multiple hazards," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Dr. David Michaels. "The Postal Service knew that proper and effective training was needed for the safety of its workers but did not provide it."

OSHA initiated an inspection in May in response to a complaint alleging the hazards. Inspectors cited the Postal Service with four willful violations carrying a penalty of $280,000 and one serious violation with a penalty of $7,000.

The willful violations cite the facility’s failure to label electrical cabinets, properly train employees, use safety-related work practices when exposed to energized electrical parts and provide proper electrical protective equipment. OSHA defines a willful violation as one committed with plain indifference to or intentional disregard for employee safety and health.

The serious citation was issued for allowing an unauthorized employee to perform inspections. OSHA issues a serious citation when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result and the employer knew, or should have known, of the hazard.

The Postal Service has 15 business days from receipt of its citations to comply, meet with the OSHA area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. This inspection was conducted by OSHA’s Charleston Area Office in West Virginia, which can be reached at 304-347-5937. To report workplace accidents, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, call OSHA’s toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742).

The U.S. Department of Labor has filed an enterprise-wide complaint against the U.S. Postal Service for electrical safety violations. The complaint asks the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission to order the Postal Service to correct electrical violations at all its facilities nationwide. This complaint marks the first time OSHA has sought enterprise-wide relief as a remedy.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited the U.S. Postal Service with five alleged willful violations at its Columbus processing center. The Postal Service faces a total of $210,000 in fines for electrical and equipment hazards following an OSHA inspection conducted in response to employee complaints.

OSHA’s inspection, which began in April 2010, found that the Postal Service failed to provide adequate electrical safety training, ensure that workers followed safety-related work practices while working on electrical equipment and provide workers with appropriate personal protective equipment while working on energized electrical equipment.

A willful violation is one committed with intentional, knowing or voluntary disregard for the law’s requirements, or plain indifference to employee safety and health.

"These sizable fines reflect the severity and ongoing nature of these hazards," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Dr. David Michaels. "The Postal Service ignored long-established safety standards and knowingly put its workers in harm’s way."

The Department of Labor has filed an enterprise-wide complaint against the U.S. Postal Service for electrical work safety violations. The complaint asks the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission to order the Postal Service to correct electrical violations at all its facilities nationwide. This complaint marks the first time OSHA has sought enterprise-wide relief as a remedy.

The Postal Service has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. This inspection was conducted by OSHA’s area office in Columbus. To report workplace accidents, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, call OSHA’s toll-free hotline at 800-321-6742.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to assure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.

via 2010 – 10/19/2010 – US Labor Department’s OSHA fines Columbus, Ohio, US Postal Service processing center $210,000 for willful safety violations.

Bossier Parish – On October 16, 2010, at 9:47 a.m., Louisiana State Police Troop G responded to a two vehicle crash on LA 527, east of LA 157, in Bossier Parish. The crash critically injured a 59-year-old United States Postal Service worker from Castor.

According to investigating troopers, two Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Deputies were traveling east on LA 527 while responding to an ATV accident. Both deputies were traveling in fully marked patrol units with their overhead light bars activated. While traveling east on LA 527, both units approached Deborah B. Wood, United States Postal Service worker, who was stopped partially in the roadway and on the right shoulder in her 2007 Jeep Wrangler, delivering mail.

The lead Sheriff’s unit steered safely around the Jeep Wrangler and continued east. The trailing Sheriff’s unit, a 2008 Ford Crown Victorian, operated by 68-year-old Deputy Joe Young, struck the Jeep Wrangler from behind causing it to veer right into the ditch area and overturn ejecting Mrs. Wood.

Mrs. Wood, who was unrestrained at the time of the crash, was air lifted to LSU Medical Center in Shreveport with life threatening injuries. According to Louisiana’s seatbelt law, United States Postal Service workers are exempt from wearing their seatbelts in the performance of their duties.

Deputy Young, who was restrained at the time of the crash, was transported to Willis Knighton Bossier Medical Center in Bossier City with minor injuries.

Although impairment is not suspected to be a factor, routine toxicology test results are pending and the crash remains under investigation.