Penalty Box

Regulators are active in the pursuit of both contractors and owners who break the law either willfully or out of ignorance. Penalty Box provides some examples of these violations and the penalties that can accrue. We update this page regularly, so visit often to keep up with the latest news on workplace violations. We've listed citations, violations and contests in reverse chronological order by state.

USA

Alabama | California | Colorado | Connecticut | Florida| Illinois | Kentucky | Maine | Maryland | Massachusetts | Michigan | Minnesota | Missouri| New Hampshire | New Jersey | New Mexico |New York | Ohio | Oklahoma| Oregon | Pennsylvania | South Carolina | Tennessee | Texas | Virginia | Washington | West Virginia | Wisconsin

Canada

Alabama

Fabricator: OSHA cites Alabama fabricator for lack of hearing protection. (12/20/02)

Manufacturer: Review commission affirms ruling that hopper railcars are permit spaces. (1/99)

California

NEW
OSHA Fines Contractor and Owner in Tunnel Fire (04/07/08) read more...

Contractor: Illegal Aliens Discovered at California Navy Contractor (4/14/05)

Contractor: Criminal Charges Filed Against California Contractor for Reckless storage of hazardous waste and flammable solvents, among allegations. (06/14/2004)

Contractor: Painter's death results in proposed fines of $156,850 for three contractors. (7/2/02)

Contractor: Painting contractor cited for Bay Bridge accidents that resulted in fatalities. (2/12/02)

Contractor: Painter is in critical condition after falling 80 feet from San Francisco Bay Bridge. (4/5/01)

Facility Owner: Shipyard firm fined $415,900 for exposing workers to lead and other hazards. (7/97)

Colorado

Contractor: OSHA cites contractor following employee's death from exposure to high-pressure water jet cutting streams. (12/19/01)

Connecticut

Facility Owner & 3 Contractors: OSHA cites Shipyard and 3 Subcontractors for numerous citations. (3/2004)

Manufacturer: OSHA cites paint manufacturer for violations involving flammable liquids and hazardous chemicals. (5/99)

Contractor: Bridge painter's fall was not caused by a willful violation. (5/97)

Contractor: Contractor visited by OSHA after fatal fall from Gold Star Bridge. (2/97)

Florida

Florida Contactor Suspended From Federal Bidding Process. (8/22/05)

OSHA Fines Florida Contractor $80,500 for Lead Hazards at Maine Bridge Deleading Project. (3/21/05)

Contractor: Florida Contractor Faces Environmental Charges. (7/12/04)

Contractor: OSHA fines Florida contractor $79,500 on bridge repainting project. (6/2/01)

Contractor: OSHA proposes $217,500 in penalties against bridge painting contractor following safety/health investigations. (10/00)

Manufacturer: Federal jury finds coating manufacturer guilty of dumping paint waste near Everglades. (4/00)

Contractor: Second Florida contractor sentenced in connection with worker's death. (1/00)

Contractor: Painting contractor pleads guilty, fined $500,000 for submitting falsified test results to OSHA. (12/99)

Contractor: Painting contractor contesting citations for penalties of $164,000. (5/99)

Facility Owner: Storage firm, owner sentenced in plot to dump paint waste in Everglades. (2/99)

Facility Owner: Four marinas face criminal charges for dumping paint and blasting wastes. (7/98)

Contractor: OSHA cites Florida tank renovator For $88,800 (11/97)

Illinois

Facility Owner: OSHA hits employer with $1.6 million fine after confined space fatalities, injuries. (12/98)

Kentucky

Facility Owner: Paint and structural integrity of Kentucky bridge questioned. (6/25/03)

Contractor: Bridge contractors sue; allege government inspectors solicited bribes. (11/8/01)

Contractor: Contractor must comply with pathogen standard. (10/98)

Manufacturer: Court upholds RCRA conviction for storage, disposal violations. (9/98)

Maine

Safety Hazards at Shipyard Lead to OSHA Fines. (10/17/05)

Facility Owner: U.S. Navy can't be sued for negligent selection of contractor. (6/10/02)

Facility Owner: OSHA, ship builder and local unions cooperate to improve workers' safety and health. (4/19/02)

Facility Owner: Ship builder contests repeat citation and penalty. (1/9/02)

Facility Owner: Ship builder cited for safety hazards; proposed fines total $201,775. (10/29/01)

Contractor: OSHA proposes over one-third of a million dollars in penalties following worker death. (2/99)

Contractor: OSHA cites Maine contractor for violations at Brunswick Naval Air Station jobsite. (5/98)

Contractor: OSHA cites contractors following two scaffold collapses at Maine work site (2/98)

Maryland

Manufacturer: Coating manufacturer cited for hazardous waste storage violations at Maryland plant. (2/11/03)

Massachusetts

Contractor: Concrete construction contractor fined $49,000 for highway work zone violation. (5/3/03)

Michigan

One Bridge Painter Killed; Three Injured in Scaffold Collapse in Detroit.. (4/27/04)

Laboratory owner: Owner sentenced to prison for falsifying VOC test reports. (5/20/02)

Laboratory owner: Michigan laboratory, owner admit falsifying VOC test results. (3/1/02)

Contractor: Illegal transport of paint wastes brings criminal charges. (2/00)

Minnesota

Manufacturer: Paint company cited for not disclosing that powder coatings contained hazardous heavy metals. (6/3/02)

Missouri

Manufacturer: Four manufacturers to pay $525,000 to resolve liability at Missouri site. (6/99)

Facility Owner: County in Missouri fined $200,000 for discharges. (7/98)

New Hampshire

Fabricator: OSHA cites NH steel fabricator for failure to correct multiple hazards; proposed penalties total $350,000. (7/30/02)

Facility Owner: Rental property manager prosecuted for fatal lead exposure. (4/11/02)

Contractor: OSHA fines painting contractor for fall protection violations. (1/99)

New Jersey

Contractor: Painting contractor facing $456,000 in fines for fall protection hazards. (4/00)

Contractor: Contractor painting the Bayonne bridge in New Jersey cited by OSHA. (4/00)

Manufacturer: New Jersey paint manufacturer pleads guilty to hazardous waste crimes (3/00)

New Mexico

Contractor: OSHA cites telecommunications tower painting company for five alleged safety violations. (5/3/01)

New York

Owner of NY Bridge Painting Business Pleads Guilty to Insurance Fraud (4/11/05)

Contractor: Employer had no constructive knowledge of safety rule breachcommission affirms. (1/3/03)

Inspector: Bridge inspector indicted for accepting bribe. (6/4/02)

Contractor: Buffalo, NY painting contractor minimizes premiums by under reporting workers and activities. (6/4/02)

Professional employment organization and contractor: Companies and individuals indicted for $13 million tax fraud. (5/9/02)

Contractor: Three New York contractors fined $159,350 for fatal scaffolding accident. (4/9/02)

Contractor: New York contractor contests lead citations. (1/24/02)

Contractor: Recalcitrant worker defense rejected because employee used fall safety gear. (12/11/01)

Contractor: Painting contractor pleads guilty to fraud. (11/9/01)

Contractor: Painting contractor cited for alleged serious violations following fatal fall from Manhattan Bridge. (11/00)

Contractor: Worker blown off bridge (5/00)

• Updates - see 11/00 and 1/3/03 articles above.

Contractor: Painting contractor cited by OSHA after fatal fall. (11/99)

Contractor: OSHRC cuts fine by $49,000 for worker's fall from bridge. (9/99)

Contractor: Contractor cited when worker falls 60 feet from bridge painting job (1/99)

Contractor: Contractor cited for lack of ventilation. (6/98)

Contractor: Industrial contractor part of $1M settlement to lead poisoned child (5/98)

Ohio

Painting Contractor Sentenced to Prison in ODOT Bribery Case (09/17/07)

ODOT Awarded $2.5 Million For Bridge Paint Failures (08/06/07)

Ohio DOT Sues Three Painting Contractors for Alleged Poor Work; 10/31/05

Ohio Painting Company and DOT Bridge Inspectors Indicted in Fraud Case; 9/12/05

Contractor Pleads Guilty to Bribing Ohio DOT Bridge Inspector; 11/15/03

Ohio Department of Transportation seeks restitution for faulty bridge painting; federal charges filed, (8/14/03)

Contractor: Review commission rules on painting contractor's alleged violations: six dropped, three affirmed. (11/6/02)

Facility Owner: Corrosion discovered at nuclear power plant. (4/10/02)

Contractor: Ohio painting contractor contesting citation. (4/8/02)

Contractor: Court upholds fall and scaffolding violations issued to bridge painting contractor. (1/2/02)

Contractor: Ohio court limits painting company's liability for employee death because painter failed to follow safety practices. (9/14/01)

Manufacturer: Ohio paint manufacturer contests OSHA citation. (12/14/00)

Contractor: OSHRC upholds fall protection/scaffolding violations on bridge painting project. (10/00)

Contractor: Judge reviews OSHA citations of painting contractor (6/00)

Contractor: Painting contractor indicted on theft and forgery charges (3/97)

Contractor: Seven egregious willful violations proposed against contractor (2/97)

Oklahoma

Contractor: Sandblasting company is contesting citations and a $13,000 in penalties. (11/11/02)

Oregon

Facility Owner: Owner of former Oregon ship repair company given jail term. (6/24/02)

Facility Owner: Oregon ship repair facility violates Clean Water Act when cleaning and painting ships. (1/28/02)

Contractor: Drums of paint chips accidentally spill into Columbia River (10/00)

Pennsylvania

Contractor: Bridge painting company sentenced for dumping lead-contaminated grit. (9/10/02)

Contractor: PA painting contractor guilty of dumping paint debris in West Virginia river. (2/19/02)

Contractor: Federal court indicts PA bridge-painting contractor for illegal dumping of lead. (9/26/01)

Contractor: Painting contractor's property searched for hazardous waste. (8/17/01)

Contractor: Painting contractor gets 10 to 20 years for illegal dumping. (9/00)

Contractor: Painting contractor faces prison, fines on state and federal charges. (12/99)

Testing Laboratory: Lab fined $5.6 million for fake environmental tests. (5/98)

• Update (7/98)
• A second update (10/98)

Contractor: Employer contesting $146,600 penalties. (2/98)

Facility Owner: OSHA proposes over $800,000 in fines for lead exposures in smelter. (8/97)

Contractor: Lead and asbestos violations bring $1.7 million in penalties (7/97)

South Carolina

Facility Owner: OSHA proposes $103,000 in penalties after fatal fall in Charleston shipyard. (11/18/02)

Facility Owner: Shipbuilder receives OSHA citations and fine of $200,000 (12/97)

Tennessee

Contractor: Tennessee firm and officers plead guilty to illegal waste disposal. (3/01)

Texas

Texas Painting Company Indicted on 47 Counts of Illegal Disposal of Lead Contaminated Waste (9/5/03) more...

Contractor: Texas industrial painting contractor contesting citations. (2/6/03)

Fabricator: Fabricators contesting serious citation and penalty. (11/21/02)

Contractor: Texas company and its former president are charged with storing hazardous paint wastes without a permit. (2/04/02)

Facility Owner: OSHA inspects chemical plant site where two workers sandblasting died, issues alert (3/00)

Manufacturer: Jury awards $76 million in waste case against Houston paint manufacturer (8/99)

CEO jailed for illegal paint disposal. (7/97)

Virginia

Contractor: City of Roanoke, VA pleads guilty to hazardous waste crime. (1/00)

Washington State

Contractor fined $148,700 for exposing workers to lead during bridge repair. (8/19/03)

Facility Owner: Naval shipyard cited by OSHA for lead exposure. (4/9/02)

Contractor: Washington Department of Labor and Industries fines contractor $197,500 for worker lead exposure on bridge project (4/98)

West Virginia

Contractor: Bridge painter pleads guilty to dumping waste. (10/00)

Contractor: Painting contractor sentenced for money laundering and tax evasion. (12/99)

Contractor: Painting company president charged with falsifying employee training. (4/98)

• Update - see 12/99 and 10/00 articles above.

Contractor: Lead and fall hazards bring proposed fines of over $216,000 (12/96)

Wisconsin

Contractor: Construction company may pay $250,000 in fines for exposing workers to unsafe levels of lead. (12/20/01)

Facility Owner: Daimler Chrysler settles waste case regarding improper disposal of paint. (5/99)

Facility Owner: Railroad to complete cleanup, pay fine to settle charges of contamination at yard. (7/98)

Canada

Contractor: Painting company fined after death of worker. (5/99)