Most employers try, in the words of the General Duty Clause, “to furnish to each of their employees employment and a place of employment which is free from recognized hazards that are causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to those employees.” They also try to comply with the OSHA standards that apply to their business operations.

However, when OSHA inspections occur, or when an accident happens and OSHA investigates, compliance officers often feel that employers have not done an adequate job of training workers, removing physical hazards, and enforcing safety rules. If so, they may issue citations carrying heavy penalties.

This report gives the facts of five cases that have been condensed and paraphrased, with much of the original wording has been used to ensure accurate reporting.