OSHA Enforcement Roundup: Week of 3/23

The OSHA Enforcement Roundup gives you insight into how and why OSHA assesses penalties for workplace safety & health noncompliance. 

All violations or claims discussed below are alleged only unless we say otherwise, and we withhold the names of organizations and individuals to protect their privacy.

A Chicago-area baking company was cited by OSHA for repeat and serious safety violations and faces $326,276 in penalties.

The US Department of Labor has cited a commercial bakery for repeatedly exposing employees to safety hazards after a worker suffered a broken arm in September 2025 when clearing dough from a machine while working on the production line.

OSHA cited the company for three repeat and three serious violations, including failure to:

• Provide lockout tagout training.
• Lockout a machine during servicing.
• Train employees in electrical work.
• Implement safety-related work practices.
• Provide personal protective equipment when performing electrical work.

A grain silo operator faces $276,407 in penalties and two willful, one serious, and three other-than-serious citations from OSHA.

The US Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration initiated an inspection into the site after learning that a seasonal laborer suffered a serious foot injury.

OSHA issued citations for failure to:

• Lockout/tagout machinery.
• Protect workers from stepping into the sump holes.
• Provide grain-handling training to employees.
• Issue permits prior to bin entry.
• Utilize an observer outside the bin.
• Ensure the bin’s atmosphere was tested before workers entered.

Three companies cited by OSHA face penalties for alleged noncompliance at a Colorado dairy farm.

After investigating, OSHA found that a pipe in the manure management system at a dairy farm disconnected, releasing manure water and hydrogen sulfide gas. Two contractors were hired to perform work on the system. Six workers died after exposure to the hazardous hydrogen sulfide gas.

OSHA cited the dairy farm for serious violations including failure to protect workers from atmospheric hazards, have a written hazard communication program, and train workers on methods to detect hazardous gases. The company faces $132,406 in proposed penalties.

The Agency cited Contractor #1 for serious violations including failure to protect employees from hazardous atmospheres and failure to provide hydrogen sulfide detection training. OSHA proposed $99,306 in penalties. Contractor #2 was cited for violations that include failure to have a written hazard communication program and failure to provide training on detecting hydrogen sulfide. For this, OSHA proposed a $14,897 penalty.

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