There have not been many death care industry inspections. What few inspections there are, are concentrated among just a few states. I cannot give you a good reason for this other than North Carolina and Virginia have a history of being far more active than others states.
Here is the rundown for the 23 inspections through August of 2014:
• North Carolina: 5 inspections
• Virginia : 9 inspections
• Washington: 2 inspections
• Michigan : 1 inspection
• California : 1 inspection
• Puerto Rico: 1 inspection
• South Carolina: 2 inspections
• Oregon : 1 inspection
Eight inspections were initiated by employee complaints. We do not know if they were from a single employee or from multiple employees.
Eight were planned inspections. All eight of the planned inspections took place in states that run their own OSHA program. A ninth planned inspection was cancelled. This is probably due to the facility having less than eleven employees or having some type of exemption.
Two were follow-up inspections. This means the facility received an earlier inspection. OSHA revisited the facility to see if promised improvements were actually done.
Five listed inspections did not happen. They were classified as un-programmed related. This could indicate a firm was exempt. It could also indicate the firm had already been inspected. We know that was the case in one North Carolina facility as they had fines of $3,600.
Other significant fines were given to a Puerto Rico facility for $6,500. The biggest damage so far this year went to a funeral home and memorial park in San Mateo, California. They did a remarkable comeback from their initial fine of $26,400 to obtain a settlement of $7,995. I am certain they had competent representation to come up with that kind of settlement. Good for them.
We still have over three months left. I think it will remain quiet until we get a wave of GHS Hazard Communications inspections in 2015 and 2016. That’s just my best guess.