CWS 3.0: December 19, 2012

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Firm Settles OSHA Case in Temp’s Death

A company agreed to pay a $100,000 fine as part of a settlement in the death of a temporary worker, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration reported. In addition, the firm agreed to correct hazards and provide the same level of training to its temps as it does traditional staff.

The MacMillin Co. Inc. was a contractor at a school construction site in Keene, N.H., when a temporary worker fell 27 feet to his death on Sept. 16, 2011, according to OSHA. The worker was erecting scaffolding when a plank snapped.

“The message cannot be repeated enough: Effective training and adherence to safety standards are critical to protecting workers against deadly or disabling injuries,” says Marthe Kent, OSHA's New England regional administrator. “But they are effective only if they are followed every day at every work site for every worker.”

OSHA initially cited the company in March 2012 for failing to inspect the scaffold for defects and adequately training employees. The MacMillin Co. initially contested the citation, but has now agreed to settle the case.