Last week, the leaders of the grain industry in North Dakota gathered for their annual conference, this year the Centennial gathering of the North Dakota Grain Dealers Association. I had the privilege of speaking at the conference, and share some background about OSHA’s increasing focus on the grain handling industry, a review of grain handlers’ rights vis-a-vis… Continue Reading
Monthly Archives: January 2012
The So-Called “Rule of 10″: A Myth about OSHA’s Lack of Jurisdiction Over Small Employers
By Eric J. Conn and Amanda R. Strainis-Walker One of the questions we are most frequently asked by small employers is about the so-called “Rule of 10″; i.e., the long-perpetuated myth that OSHA does not have jurisdiction over employers or workplaces with fewer than 10 employees. This is a commonly misunderstood policy, so let’s set the record straight…. Continue Reading
OSHA’s Per Violation Penalties Increase in 2011
By Casey M. Cosentino and Eric J. Conn According to statistics recently reported by OSHA, the number of workplace inspections conducted by federal OSHA in FY 2011 fell to a total of 40,215, down 778 from 2010. The agency attributes this slight decline in the number of inspections to the fact that many inspections, particularly those… Continue Reading