| Today's post is shared from nytimes.com/ Four years after a natural gas explosion tore through a neighborhood of San Bruno, Calif., killing eight people and injuring dozens of others, some of them seriously, the Pacific Gas & Electric Company has been hit with a proposed $1.4 billion penalty for suspected safety violations. It is the largest safety penalty proposed to the California Public Utilities Commission. In the decisions announced on Tuesday, a pair of administrative law judges said that the company committed 3,798 violations of state and federal laws, rules, standards or regulations in connection with its pipeline. Under the proposal, still subject to the approval of the commission, the bulk of the proposed penalty, $950 million, will go into the state’s general fund, while $400 million will pay for pipeline improvements and about $50 million to enhance pipeline safety. The deadly explosion in 2010 raised concerns about the care and maintenance of underground pipelines as the use of natural gas has boomed as a coal alternative. The utility has already spent hundreds of millions of dollars settling claims by the victims and their families and contributing to the recovery efforts in San Bruno, a suburb of San Francisco, where the gas and electric company is based. PG&E also faces charges by federal prosecutors in San Francisco, who earlier this year accused the company of “knowingly and willfully” violating the Pipeline Safety Act and of obstructing a federal investigation into the... |
| Today's post is shared from Hamptonroards.com The Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission is an independent state agency with 270 employees and an annual operating budget of nearly $45 million. Disputed cases are heard by one of the 21 deputy commissioners unless the parties agree to mediation. In 2013, "the average turnaround time from the time a case was referred to the hearing docket to the date the hearing was held was 150.9 days" or about five months, said James Szablewicz, who has served as chief deputy commissioner for the past decade. In most cases, the deputy commissioner is supposed to issue a ruling within 21 days of the hearing. After that, a worker or employer's representative may file an appeal to be heard by the three commissioners. The commissioners are considered the equivalent of civil court judges in Virginia. The General Assembly appoints them to renewable six-year terms. Virginia law does not set deadlines for hearings before deputy commissioners or commissioners. One way, however, that the commission expedites the process is to sometimes substitute an "on-the-record" decision for a hearing, Szablewicz said. In cases with smaller-scale disputes that... |
Consumers should stop using this product unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.
APC 8 Series SurgeArrest surge protector
Model and serial numbers are located on the bottom of the surge protector
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about your experience with the product on SaferProducts.gov CPSC is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death associated with the use of the thousands of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $900 billion annually. CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical or mechanical hazard. CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters and household chemicals - contributed to a decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years. Federal law bars any person from selling products subject to a publicly-announced voluntary recall by a manufacturer or a mandatory recall ordered by the Commission. To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury go... |
New Jersey’s workers’ compensation problems are far from over as the NJ State Commission of Investigation (SCI) has purportedly launched an investigation of the NJ Compensation Rating and Inspection Bureau. The NJ system became the center of media attention following a Star Ledger newspaper series reporting serious problems. |
| Kit Case |
A Federal court has dismissed an action brought by 117 employees against Houston Methodist hospital’s policy requiring employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by June 7, 2021, or be terminated.
| Today's post is authored by Julius Young of the California Bar and shared from workerscompzone.com This past Friday the California Commission on Health and Safety and Workers’ Compensation (CHSWC) met in Oakland. If there was little policy drama in the policy presentations, other aspects of the meeting had drama. Apparently concerned that protesters or rowdy commenters would disrupt the meeting, CHSWC staffers or members arranged for a watchful presence from 2 CHP officers. A flyer outlining a conduct code for public comment was distributed. Public comments were limited to 2 minutes. The public was allowed to express opinions, but not to ask questions of the various think tank consultants and DWC staff giving updates on various topics. When loud and spirited comments by Berkeley labor activist Steve Zeltzer went overtime, CHP staff moved in closer, leading to charges from Zeltzer that dissent was being locked down. One frustrated interpreter was cut off at two minutes and forced to file another request to speak form to get more speaking time. I think she was from Southern California, meaning that she traveled a long way if she was only allowed to speak for 2 minutes. Later, an injured worker in the audience seemed bewildered that she could not direct questions to the CHSWC commissioners, half of whom are appointees from labor unions and half from employers. CHSWC member Christy Bouma of the California Professional Firefighters tried to... |
Today's post was shared by The New Old Age and comes from newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com
The federal Commission on Long-Term Care on Friday issued more than two dozen recommendations meant to bolster services for older Americans and people with disabilities, but stopped short of endorsing a new public or private program to help families pay for home health care, custodial care, assisted living or nursing home services. “We’re disappointed,” said James Firman, president of the National Council on Aging. “They kind of ducked the most important issue.” The commission was established by Congress last January after the demise of the Class Act, a voluntary long-term care insurance program originally part of the Affordable Care Act. It was given limited resources, an ambitious agenda and a very tight timetable: the first meeting was held in June, three months before the deadline for issuing a report. Many experts judged it a “semi-serious, halfhearted effort on behalf of the Congress,” Mr. Firman said. More than 12 million Americans rely on long-term care services, and the number is expected to expand sharply as baby boomers age. Only impoverished older Americans and... |
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A federal workplace safety investigation has again found workers at an Amazon fulfillment center exposed to ergonomic hazards, this time at a Logan Township facility.
Today's post was shared by U.S. CPSC and comes from www.cpsc.gov
Consumers should stop using this product unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.     Recall DetailsIn conjunction withUnitsAbout 6,600 in U.S. and 704 in Canada DescriptionThis recall includes all Shimano BR-CX75 aftermarket disc brake calipers and BR-R515 disc brake calipers installed on road and cyclocross bicycles sold by other manufacturers including BMC, Giant, Ibis, Raleigh, Shinola, Specialized and Volagi. “Shimano,” “China” and the model number are embossed on the outside of the brake caliper. Both models have either black or silver finishes. Incidents/InjuriesNone reported. RemedyConsumers should immediately stop using the bicycles with recalled Shimano brakes and contact a Shimano authorized dealer to receive a free installation and replacement of the calipers. Sold atBicycle specialty stores and dealers nationwide from February 2012 through May 2013 for about $75 for the BR-CX75 model disc brake calipers and the BR-R515 model disc brake calipers price was included in the cost of the bicycles where installed. ManufacturerShimano American Corporation, of Irvine, Calif. Manufactured inChina The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about your experience with the... |
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