From Jan. 18 until just this past week, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) website turned strangely silent on announcing results of its investigations, sticking to a few mundane press releases about partnerships and a delay in the beryllium standard.
Then on April 12, a press release was posted announcing the agency had cited the Atlantic Drain Service Co. Inc. for 18 violations associated with a fatal trench collapse, proposing $1,475,813 in penalties.
Under the Obama administration, a press release was generally issued whenever a fine totaled $40,000 or more, according to Jordan Barab, an assistant OSHA director during the Obama years. On a blog he maintains, Barab says there have been at least 200 citations with fines of $40,000 since Jan. 18.