OSHA fines U.S. Postal Service for electrical hazards
Carson Processing Center
CARSON, Calif.—Labor regulators fined the U.S. Postal Service $220,000 for electrical hazards at its Los Angeles International Service Center in Carson, it was announced today.
The USPS employs 488 people at the plant at 21750 Arnold Center Road.
"These fines are a reflection of a blatant disregard for the safety of workers, as the Postal Service continues to neglect vital workplace safety measures,'' said David Michaels, assistant secretary of labor for the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. "In doing so, it is knowingly putting employees at a definite risk of injury and death.''
The violations stems from an OSHA inspection, which began June 2.
Inspectors said USPS workers failed to de-energize parts of machines before they were worked on, exposing them to electrical shocks or arc blasts, the agency said.
Postal service officials failed to do shock hazard or flash hazard analyses before doing the work, and did not provide workers with the right protection, according to OSHA.
Other violations included failure to maintain clean and orderly working conditions, provide guardrails on platforms at least 4 feet off the floor, maintain fixed metal ladders, maintain aisles and passageways, properly mark circuit breakers and provide adequate training.
The USPS has 15 business days from receipt of these citations and proposed penalties to comply, meet with OSHA, or contest the findings before an independent commission.
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Starting Sunday, you’ll need another penny to send a card to Grandma.
The price of sending mail with a first-class stamp, the kind of postage most consumers use, goes up by one cent to 46 cents—a hike the U.S. Postal Service first announced last October. Postcard postage will also rise one cent to 33 cents.
CARSON, Calif. — Attorney General Kamala Harris and the Federal Trade Commission announced today that they have approved Tesoro’s $2 billion acquisition of a BP refinery in Carson.
Harris said the agreement she reached with Tesoro and BP would preserve jobs, ensure environmental retrofitting of the facility and protect from spikes in gas prices.
LOS ANGELES, Calif. — A dozen Los Angeles-area residents — including the state’s second-largest biller for chiropractic services — were taken into custody today in connection with seven criminal cases alleging they cumulatively submitted more than $22 million in false billings to Medicare.
Those arrested also include a physician’s assistant and owners of durable medical equipment and ambulance companies, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The GAP program, part of the “My Gangfree Life” anti-gang mission, reported positive gains at Tuesday night’s meeting of the Carson City Council. Since 2002, GAP (Gang Alternative Program) has distributed more than $250,000 in Carson, promoting anti-gang activities and recently allocated $10,000 for the city’s elementary schools as part of its “Step Up” after-school initiative.
COMPTON, Calif. — Authorities arrested a man who allegedly tried today to kidnap a woman in Carson and then led deputies on a chase to the Athens Village area, where his car crashed into an SUV at an intersection and burst into flames.
Lawrence Dickerson, 36, was arrested following the crash, which occurred near Avalon Boulevard and 135th Street about 6:30 a.m., according to the sheriff’s department.
