The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Administration (PHMSA) issued a final rule that the annual registration fee for most registrants is going to increase from $975 to $2,575 (plus a $25 administration fee) for the registration year 2010-2011. This fee increase will not apply to those carriers who qualify as a small business or not-for-profit organization. The fee funds the national hazardous materials emergency preparedness grants program.

For more details click here to visit the PHMSA registration site page

OSHA recently released a severe violator enforcement program that is effective June 18, 2010. This program is going to focus on employers who continually disregard their legal obligations to protect their workers. Areas of focus listed are willful citations, failure to abate, and other egregious actions.

Here is the news release

OSHA recently released their high DART rate list for 2010. This list is compiled using 2008 OSHA data from survey forms. You are at a higher risk on inspection if you are on this list. Around 15,000 employers received letters on this list and about 4,500 will be selected for a visit. Even if you have a low DART rate compared to your industry, if that industry has a traditionally high DART rate your chances for inspection are higher. Many times these situations are viewed as companies that may be under reporting their DART rate.

The 2010 list for all states is attached.

Are you curious what some of the more important OSHA fines were for 2009? Check out the attachment to this post. These were not always the largest fines of the year, but some played a significant role in showing how the administration will handle OSHA citations going forward.