Federal agency decisions, searchable in plain English.

Workplace-safety cases from the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC) and mine-safety cases from the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission (FMSHRC), each with a plain-English summary, the standards it cites, and whether it counts as precedent. More agencies are coming.

5,593 decisions and counting · Latest decision July 17, 2026
5,593 decisions

No decisions match these filters

Try a different search term or clear the filters.

COMM

Exacto Products Corporation

Withdrawal approved and $93.75 penalty affirmed

Exacto Products and the Secretary agreed that the company should withdraw its contest to four non-serious citations carrying $93.75 in proposed penalties. The record showed abatement, a promise of continuing compliance, tender of the penalty, and an opportunity for affected employees to…

March 17, 1972
Settled
COMM

Suddath of South Florida

Withdrawal settlement approved with one item removed

OSHA issued Suddath two non-serious citations containing nine items. The parties stipulated that six pleaded items had been and would remain corrected, the company had paid $62.50, one item should be withdrawn because the alleged facts were not a violation, and employees had notice through…

March 17, 1972
Settled
COMM

American Home Products

Press-guarding settlement and $770 penalty approved

OSHA cited American Home Products after finding numerous inadequately guarded punch presses and foot-operated press pedals at its Ekco Housewares division. The record stated that press conditions had caused multiple employee amputations before inspection. The company represented that it had fully…

February 28, 1972
Settled
COMM

Sharp and Parrott, Inc.

No-penalty withdrawal settlement approved

OSHA cited Sharp and Parrott for conditions under standards that had not yet taken effect, proposed no penalty, and the parties agreed to treat the citation as arising under the general duty clause. The company represented that the conditions had been corrected, promised continuing compliance…

February 23, 1972
Settled
COMM

Dawson Brothers Mechanical Contractors

Withdrawal remanded for settlement evidence

Dawson Brothers and the Secretary stipulated to withdrawal of the company's contest, and the judge proposed making the citation and penalty final. The Commission found that the record did not show when abatement was or would be completed, whether the employer promised continuing compliance, whether…

February 22, 1972
Remanded
COMM

Arthur G. McKee & Company

Serious-citation withdrawal and $700 penalty approved

Arthur G. McKee & Company moved to withdraw its contest to a serious citation. The company represented that it had fully corrected the violation, paid the $700 proposed penalty, and would continue to comply. Affected employees and the Secretary consented, and the motion was served on the…

February 15, 1972
Settled
COMM

S & H Riggers & Erectors, Inc.

Serious-citation withdrawal and $750 penalty approved

S & H Riggers & Erectors moved to withdraw its contest to a serious citation. The company represented that it had fully corrected the violation, paid the $750 proposed penalty, and would continue to comply. Affected employees and the Secretary consented, and the motion was served on the Secretary's…

February 15, 1972
Settled
COMM

Gifford-Hill Pre-Stress

Concrete-lifting settlement and $700 penalty approved

OSHA cited Gifford-Hill, a general contractor, and an erection subcontractor over allegedly unsafe lifting attachments on prestressed concrete slabs. Gifford-Hill moved to withdraw its contest, represented that the condition was corrected, paid the $700 proposed penalty, and promised continuing…

February 15, 1972
Settled
COMM

Hidden Valley Corporation of Virginia

Trench citation affirmed and penalty raised to $1,000

Hidden Valley required employees to work in an approximately nine-foot-deep sewer trench whose sides were neither shored nor sloped. The trench collapsed and killed an employee and another person. Because the specific construction standard was not yet applicable to this employer, OSHA cited the…

February 8, 1972
Modified
COMM

Nacirema Operating Company, Inc.

Forklift penalty reduced and reporting item left unpenalized

Nacirema used a forklift without an overhead guard to move heavy boxes in a ship's hold. A box fell onto the operator, causing a spinal fracture and hospitalization, and the company also failed to report the hospitalization within 48 hours. The employer admitted both violations and disputed the…

February 7, 1972
Modified
COMM

Southeastern Maritime Company

Safety-net citation and $26.49 penalty affirmed

Southeastern Maritime assigned two gangs to load flour sacks at different levels in the same ship hold. One gang worked on a cargo stack about 11 feet above employees below, but the company did not rig the safety net required to prevent workers or cargo from falling. The company did not dispute…

February 7, 1972
Citations affirmed
COMM

Puget Sound Power & Light Co.

Disputed settlement set aside and hearing ordered

OSHA cited Puget Sound Power & Light under the general duty clause and proposed a $600 penalty. The parties stipulated that the case involved legitimate factual and legal disputes, the company would withdraw its contest, and it would pay $550 without admitting a violation. The judge approved the…

January 28, 1972
Remanded
COMM

McCloskey & Company

Contest dismissed for missing service certification

The Commission dismissed McCloskey's contest because the company did not certify service of the contest on other parties as required by Commission rules. The citation and proposed penalties were affirmed in full. Commissioner Van Namee dissented because the compliance warning had been sent to the…

January 14, 1972
Citations affirmed

What these documents are

  • Commission decisions: Rulings by the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission itself, the highest level of agency review. These are citable as Commission precedent, though a decision may have been appealed to a U.S. Court of Appeals after issuance.
  • ALJ decisions: Rulings by OSHRC Administrative Law Judges after a hearing. When no Commissioner directs review, an ALJ decision becomes a final order under 29 U.S.C. § 661(j): it binds the parties in that case but is not binding precedent in other cases.
  • Why finality matters: Every page here says which kind of decision you are reading, so you know whether it is precedent you can cite or a final order that only shows how one judge ruled on one set of facts.
  • Where they come from: Every page links the official OSHRC public release, and the full text on the page is that release. The plain-English summaries are written by Ezel.