OSHA issues citations, proposes $67,765 in fines for Ifco Systems facility in Henderson, CO
March 3, 2011
DENVER — Federal workplace safety regulators have proposed $67,765 in fines for an Ifco Systems pallet recycling facility in Henderson.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration says the proposed fines include $50,000 for allegedly failing to provide adequate machine guarding on a band saw. OSHA says Ifco Systems facilities have received citations for that before in other states. OSHA Denver area director Herb Gibson says proper machine guarding helps prevent amputation injuries.
OSHA also issued five serious citations to the Henderson facility for other alleged violations including a lack of machine guarding on a table saw and exposure of employees to excessive noise.
The company didn't immediately return an e-mail Thursday asking whether it planned to contest the citations.
OSHA cites south Georgia manufacturer with 46 serious safety and health violations
Feb. 8, 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA cites south Georgia
manufacturer with 46 serious safety and health violations US Erosion Control Products exposed workers to combustible dust hazards
SAVANNAH, Ga. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Protech Environmental South Inc., doing business as U.S. Erosion Control Products Inc., following an inspection that uncovered 46 alleged safety and health hazards including worker exposure to heavy accumulations of combustible dust. Proposed penalties total $55,250.
After receiving a complaint, OSHA began an inspection in August 2010 at the company's site in Willacoochee, Ga. Serious citations were issued for violations that included exposing workers to explosion hazards resulting from inadequate dust control, exposing workers to dust without respiratory protection, failing to clean up thick dust accumulations, using unapproved electrical equipment and forklifts in locations that may include flammable or combustible materials, absence of a fire extinguisher in a straw storage area and fire extinguishers missing from their mounts.
Additional serious citations included exposing workers to fall hazards, electrical hazards, obstructed exit routes, hazards related to the use of liquid propane gas, amputation hazards from a lack of machine guards, hazards from damaged forklifts, and hazards related to lack of eye protection and lack of a hearing conservation program. OSHA issues a serious citation when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.
"Combustible dust is a major safety and health hazard, and employers must recognize and correct hazards that expose their employees to death or serious physical harm," said Robert Vazzi, OSHA's area director in Savannah.
OSHA initiated its Combustible Dust National Emphasis Program on Oct. 18, 2007, to inspect facilities that generate or handle combustible dust that poses a deflagration/explosion or other fire hazard. Following a massive sugar dust explosion at Imperial Sugar's Port Wentworth, Ga., facility on Feb. 7, 2008, that killed 14 workers and injured many more, OSHA revised the combustible dust program to include more inspections and to focus on industries with frequent and high consequence dust incidents. More information on combustible dust is available at http://www.osha.gov/dsg/combustibledust/index.html.
After the inspection, the company moved to Pearson, Ga., where it continues to produce erosion control products using natural materials such as straw.
The company has 15 business days from receipt of the citations and proposed penalties to comply, meet with the OSHA area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. The site was inspected by OSHA's area office in Savannah; telephone 912-652-4393. To report workplace incidents, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, call the agency's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742).
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to assure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov/.
US Department of Labor's OSHA fines Chicago-area contractor $60,600
for failing to provide trench cave-in protection for workers
BENSENVILLE, Ill. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued Doherty, Giannini & Rietz Construction Inc., an underground contractor located in Bensenville, one willful and one repeat safety citation for failing to protect workers from cave-ins during trenching operations at a Chicago, Ill., jobsite. The company faces proposed penalties of $60,600.
"Cave-ins are a leading cause of worker fatalities during excavations," said Gary Anderson, OSHA's area director in Calumet City, Ill. "This is the fourth time in recent months that OSHA has issued citations to this contractor related to the cave-in protection standard. Workers' safety should be paramount on a jobsite, and OSHA is committed to protecting workers, especially when employers fail to do so."
The willful citation alleges that a Doherty, Giannini & Rietz Construction employee was working in a trench at a depth greater than 6 feet without cave-in protection during a December 2010 inspection. A trench box was present on the site but not installed in the trench. The inspection was conducted under an OSHA national emphasis program on trenching and excavation. A willful violation exists when an employer has demonstrated either an intentional disregard for the requirements of the law or plain indifference to employee safety and health.
The company was issued the repeat citation for failing to establish a safe work zone as regulated by the U.S. Department of Transportation's manual on uniform traffic control devices. A repeat citation is issued when an employer previously has been cited for the same or a similar violation of a standard, regulation, rule or order at any other facility in federal enforcement states within the last five years.
The company has been inspected by OSHA 27 times since 1988, resulting in 16 prior citations for lack of cave-in protection at various worksites. Four of those violations have been issued since June 2010, including the citation from the December inspection.
OSHA standards mandate that all excavations 5 feet or deeper be protected against collapse. Detailed information on trenching and excavation hazards, adopted by OSHA in the 1980s, is available on the agency's website at http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/trenchingexcavation/index.html.
Doherty, Giannini & Rietz Construction has 15 business days from receipt of the citations to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA's area director, or contest the citations and penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
Employers and employees with questions regarding workplace safety and health standards can call OSHA's Calumet City Area Office at 708-891-3800. To report workplace incidents, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, call the agency's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742).
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to assure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov/.
OSHA cites Kearny, NJ, pool chemical manufacturer for workplace hazards, proposes more than $70,000 in fines
Feb. 7, 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA cites Kearny, NJ, pool chemical
manufacturer for workplace hazards, proposes more than $70,000 in fines
KEARNY, N.J. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Kearny-based Alden Leeds Inc. for exposing employees to safety hazards at worksites located in Kearny and Hackensack, N.J. Proposed penalties total $70,400.
"Employers who fail to follow through on their responsibility to provide safe workplaces will be held legally accountable," said Kris Hoffman, director of OSHA's Parsippany, N.J., area office. "It is vital that Alden Leeds remove these hazards immediately."
OSHA initiated an inspection in response to a complaint, citing Alden Leeds for 23 serious violations with penalties of $66,550 and five other-than-serious violations with penalties of $3,850.
The serious citations are for failing to ensure workers being lifted by a forklift truck had an approved manlift cage; provide sufficient guardrails on work platforms; keep exits clear and mark exit doors; provide stable material storage; evaluate forklift operators every three years; conduct a preventative maintenance program for 2-ton cranes; ensure compressed air used for cleaning did not exceed 30 pounds per square inch; and ensure workers did not use damaged electrical equipment. OSHA issues a serious citation when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.
The other-than-serious violations pertain to recordkeeping. An other-than-serious violation has a direct relationship to job safety and health, but probably would not cause death or serious physical harm.
Alden Leeds Inc. has 15 business days from receipt of its citations to comply, meet with the OSHA area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. The inspection was conducted by OSHA's Parsippany Area Office, which can be reached at 973-263-1003. To report workplace incidents, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, call the agency's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742).
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to assure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov/.
OSHA secures decision affirming willful and serious trenching violations, $91,200 in fines against Boston contractor
Feb. 7, 2011
US Labor Department secures decision affirming willful and serious
trenching violations, $91,200 in fines against Boston contractor
BOSTON – The U.S. Department of Labor has won a decision from an administrative law judge upholding eight citations and $91,200 in fines issued to a Boston contractor for excavation and other construction safety hazards. The department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited Shawn Telsi, doing business as Life Time Homes, Green Pines and/or Telsi Builders, following an August 2009 inspection of a construction site at 394 Dedham St. in Newton, Mass.
During that inspection, OSHA found employees working without cave-in protection in an excavation up to 14 feet deep. The excavation lacked a safe means of exit and had piles of soil stored at its edge. Employees also risked impalement upon unguarded steel rebar, falls into uncovered 7-foot-deep holes and injuries from lack of head protection.
OSHA cited Telsi in February 2010, and the company contested its citations and fines to the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission the following month. A hearing was held in Boston on Sept. 28, 2010, before Administrative Law Judge Covette Rooney. Rooney recently ruled, upholding the four willful and four serious citations, and the monetary penalties issued by OSHA.
"Serious, life-threatening hazards remained uncorrected even after they were brought to this employer's attention," said Marthe Kent, OSHA's New England regional administrator. "In one instance, had the unprotected 14-foot-high excavation wall collapsed, it would have engulfed workers who were pouring concrete formwork and crushed them beneath tons of concrete, soil and debris."
"Employers must understand that they cannot disregard standards meant to protect the life and safety of their employees without facing consequences," said Michael Felsen, the Labor Department's regional solicitor for New England. "This decision not only affirms OSHA's findings, it also shows that the Department of Labor will not hesitate to pursue appropriate legal action on behalf of America's workers."
Telsi has 20 days from the date the administrative law judge's decision is docketed with the review commission to appeal. The safety inspection was conducted by OSHA's Andover Area Office in Massachusetts. The case was litigated for OSHA by senior trial attorney Paul Katz of the department's Boston Regional Solicitor's Office.
The Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission is an independent federal agency created to decide contests of citations or penalties resulting from workplace inspections conducted by OSHA. An employer who is cited by OSHA for an alleged workplace health or safety violation can contest the OSHA citation and have the case heard by a commission administrative law judge, who ultimately issues a decision. The judge's decision can then be appealed to the commission, whose members are presidential appointees.
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to assure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov/index.html.
OSHA cites North Branford, Conn., contractor $53,000 in Proposed Fines
Feb. 7, 2011
US Labor Department's OSHA cites North Branford, Conn., contractor
for failing to provide cave-in protection at Stratford, Conn., jobsite Cherry Hill Construction faces more than $53,000 in proposed fines
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Cherry Hill Construction Co. Inc. for alleged repeat and serious violations of workplace safety standards following an OSHA inspection of a worksite in front of 370 Bruce Ave. in Stratford, where the company was installing a catch basin cover. The North Branford contractor faces a total of $53,460 in proposed fines.
OSHA's inspection found a Cherry Hill Construction employee working in an excavation deeper than 5 feet that lacked proper protection against a collapse of its sidewalls as well as a ladder or other safe means of exit. The worker also was exposed to being struck by the bucket of an excavator that was placing gravel in the excavation.
"The unprotected walls of an excavation can collapse in seconds, stunning and crushing workers beneath tons of soil and debris before they have a chance to react or escape," said Robert Kowalski, OSHA's area director in Bridgeport. "Employers must never allow an employee to face such a dangerous situation. Before a worker enters, each excavation must be effectively protected."
OSHA cited the company in 2008 and 2009 for excavation hazards at worksites in North Branford and Orange, Conn., respectively, and in 2008 for lacking safe exit access from an excavation at a North Branford worksite. As a result of these recurring conditions, the employer has been issued two repeat citations with $48,510 in proposed fines for the latest hazards. A repeat citation is issued when an employer previously has been cited for the same or a similar violation of a standard, regulation, rule or order at any other facility in federal enforcement states within the last five years.
Cherry Hill Construction Co. Inc. also has been issued one serious citation with a $4,950 fine for failing to prohibit an employee from working under and within the swing radius of the excavator bucket. OSHA issues a serious citation when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.
OSHA standards require that all trenches and excavations 5 feet or deeper be protected against collapse. Detailed information on hazards and safeguards related to trenching and excavation is available online at http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/trenchingexcavation/index.html.
Cherry Hill Construction Co. Inc. has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to comply, meet with the OSHA area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. This inspection was conducted by OSHA's Bridgeport Area Office; telephone 203-579-5581. To report workplace incidents, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, call the agency's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742).
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to ensure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov/.
OSHA Fines Company $54,000 for Hazards at Tewksbury Site
Inspector drove past job site on his way to work and happened to see violations.
February 5, 2011
(Editor's note: The following information was submitted by The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration.)
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Georgoulis Construction Inc. for alleged willful and serious violations of safety standards for fall hazards at a Tewksbury worksite. The Dracut roofing contractor faces a total of $53,900 in proposed fines.
The citations and penalties stem from an OSHA inspection opened Nov. 10, 2010. An OSHA inspector en route to his office observed employees exposed to apparent fall hazards while driving by 279 Chandler St. An inspection was opened on the spot. OSHA found Georgoulis employees exposed to falls while working atop a roof greater than 6 feet without any fall protection. They were exposed to an additional fall hazard while accessing the roof by using a ladder that did not extend at least 3 feet above the landing surface for required stability.
“The size of this penalty reflects the gravity of the hazard and the employer’s knowledge of its existence,” said Jeffery A. Erskine, OSHA’s area director for Middlesex and Essex counties. “A fall can occur in seconds but the resulting injuries can be permanent or end a life. There’s no reason for failing to provide this essential and legally required safeguard for workers.”
As a result of its inspection, OSHA has issued Georgoulis Construction one willful citation with a $49,000 fine for the lack of fall protection and one serious citation with a fine of $4,900 for the ladder hazard. A willful violation exists when an employer has demonstrated either an intentional disregard for the requirements of the law or plain indifference to employee safety and health. OSHA issues a serious citation when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.
Georgoulis Construction Inc. has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to comply, meet with the OSHA area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. This latest inspection was conducted by OSHA’s Andover Area Office; telephone 978- 837-4460. To report workplace incidents, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, call the agency’s toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742).
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to assure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov/.
Illinois Roofing Firm Fined $102,000 for Fall Protection Hazards
The company's willful and repeat safety violations put McEntire's Roofing in OSHA's Severe Violator Enforcement Program.
Feb 02, 2011
OSHA has issued McEntire's Roofing Inc. of Lincoln, Ill., six citations for failing to provide fall protection for roofers working on residential projects. The company faces penalties totaling $102,000.
The citations are the result of two OSHA investigations, conducted under the agency's Local Emphasis Program on Fall Hazards, which took place in July and September 2010 at jobsites in Bloomington and Lincoln, Ill. Two willful citations carrying $56,000 in penalties were issued after inspectors observed roofers being allowed to operate without fall protection at two-story residential projects. A willful violation exists when an employer has demonstrated either an intentional disregard for the requirements of the law or plain indifference to employee safety and health.
"Falls are a leading cause of injury and death in the workplace," said Thomas Bielema, OSHA's area director in Peoria, Ill. "McEntire's Roofing repeatedly has been cited for not providing adequate fall protection and that is unacceptable. OSHA is committed to ensuring employers abide by the law, which requires commonsense safety practices."
OSHA issued McEntire's Roofing two repeat citations with proposed fines of $42,000 for allegedly not having a grasping handle and/or a ladder extended 3 feet or more above the roofline for workers to access in order to prevent falls. A repeat citation is issued when an employer previously has been cited for the same or a similar violation of a standard, regulation, rule or order at any other facility in federal enforcement states within the last five years.
Two serious citations were issued to the company alleging that a damaged ladder was used to access an upper roof area and for failing to have a ladder inspected by a competent person. Those violations carry total penalties of $4,000. A serious citation is issued when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.
OSHA standards require that an effective form of fall protection, such as guardrails, safety nets, or personal fall arrest systems, be in use when workers perform residential construction activities 6 feet or more above the next lower level. Detailed information on fall protection hazards and safeguards is available online at http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/fallprotection/index.html.
The company's willful and repeat safety violations put McEntire's Roofing in OSHA's Severe Violator Enforcement Program, which focuses on employers with a history of safety violations that endanger workers by demonstrating indifference to their responsibilities under the law. This enforcement tool includes mandatory OSHA follow-up inspections and inspections of other worksites of the same employer where similar hazards and deficiencies may be present. For more information on SVEP, visit http://www.osha.gov/dep/svep-directive.pdf*.
Prior to the two inspections detailed above, McEntire's Roofing had been inspected by OSHA six times since 2005, resulting in 15 prior citations.
OSHA cites roofing company following fatality at El Paso, Texas, worksite
OSHA Press Release, January 25, 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA cites roofing company
following fatality at El Paso, Texas, worksite Third El Paso roofing incident cited by OSHA within a year
EL PASO, Texas – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Spray Polyurethane Foam with five alleged serious and one other-than-serious violation for failing to provide fall protection resulting from an investigation into a fatality at the company's worksite in El Paso.
OSHA's El Paso Area Office initiated the investigation on Aug. 25, 2010, following a report that an employee fell almost 30 feet through the roof and died at the company's worksite at 9600 Plaza Circle. The investigation found that the roof of the facility did not have the required strength and structural integrity for repair work to be performed.
The serious violations include failing to determine if the roof had sufficient structural integrity for making roof repairs, provide employees with fall protection systems and/or personal fall arrest systems, and provide training for employees exposed to possible fall hazards. A serious violation is one in which there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.
An other-than-serious violation was issued for failing to contact OSHA within eight hours to report the fatality. An other-than-serious violation has a direct relationship to job safety and health, but probably would not cause death or serious physical harm.
Proposed penalties for the serious and other-than-serious violations total $8,700.
In October 2010, an employee of another company in El Paso, Empire Roofing, fell through a skylight while making roof repairs. In May 2010, a worker employed by Parsons Roofing in El Paso fell through a roof while repairing roof decking that was rotted and had not been inspected for strength and structural integrity. In both incidents, employees sustained severe injuries while performing roofing repair work.
"Falls are one of the most common and well-known hazards at a worksite, and can injure or kill a worker in a matter of seconds," said Jack Rector, OSHA's area director in El Paso. "OSHA is dedicated to providing a safe and healthful workplace. All three incidents could have been avoided had the employees been provided with fall protection and training."
Spray Polyurethane Foam has 15 business days from receipt of citations to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA's area director in El Paso or contest the citations and proposed penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. Employers and employees with questions about workplace safety and health standards can call OSHA's El Paso Area Office at 915-534-6151 or the agency's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742) to report workplace incidents, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers.
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to assure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov/.
Robins Air Force Base Receives 2nd Set of OSHA Citations
Tuesday, January 25 2011 by Dustin Wilson
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration handed out a second round of citations to Robins Air Force Base last week and employees are voicing their concerns about the work environment
In May of last year OSHA handed down citations to Robins Air Force Base, most of which dealt with high carcinogen levels in building 169 and 670. A new set of citations were issued last week and the reoccurring problem of cancer causing particles in the work area remains and employees are concerned not enough is being done to make sure their work environment is safe.
"You don't know what you're walking into and you don't know what you're walking out of because it's something you really don't see it's kind of like dust you know. You don't know that you're being exposed to anything and then sooner or later, you know there's been people that have got cancer that has worked in that building," said Ray Fisher, an Air Craft Sheet Metal Mechanic at RAFB.
Fisher works in building 169 and is one of around 200 people who work in the building. Many employees are concerned with repeated findings of high exposure levels of chromium, cadmium, and lead, all of which can cause cancer.
These contaminants come from old paint on air craft parts. When the parts are sanded down, dust particles are emitted into the air.
In OSHA's initial round of citations in May of last year, chromium (VI) was found in a number of areas in buildings 169 and 670: A wipe sample of the break room table, where employees eat in building 169 showed 7 micrograms of Chromium (VI) and 13.5 micrograms of chromic acid.
The local union president for base employees, Tom Scott, says the federal government isn’t holding itself accountable.
"They have plenty of resources they could have corrected it. Outside agencies, private sectors the same thing would have been fined about $400-thousand, $600-thousand dollars and the agency is immune from it, you can't fine one another and I don't know if that's why the delay is or not, but I think more or less than need to get these employees a safe environment to work in," said Scott.
Last November OSHA fined the Macon-based company, Aerospace/Defense Coatings of Georgia, more than $300-thousand for over exposure of chromium (VI). Just last week OSHA fined Lead Enterprises Inc. in Miami, Florida, more than $300-thousand for over exposure of lead. OSHA officials say they can't fine other federal agencies.
We spoke with base officials about the carcinogen levels and according to Deryl Israel, the executive director of Warner Robins Air Logistics Center, before OSHA cited the violations, base officials thought their work environment was safe.
"What came as I wouldn't say a surprise to us, but we thought we were doing well and OSHA came in and found some things and we've worked since then to understand OSHA's interpretation and adjust our processes to comply with that," said Israel.
Maybe the most staggering of the May citations was in room 117, where according to OSHA a machinist was exposed to more than 17-hundred micrograms of chromium (VI), approximately 342 times the limit established to prevent lung cancer.
Base officials have since shut down the room. But the contamination doesn’t stop there, the most recent OSHA citations said high levels of chromium (VI) and cadmium were found in buildings 59, 89, and 323; further evidence that high contaminant levels could be in other areas on the base.
“As long as I've been on base for 23 years they've been working on air craft parts and the air craft parts have always had that stromium chromate which has chromate (VI) in it," said Tom Scott.
OSHA's most recent citations noted that the base didn’t properly inform employees about exposure levels. Stating employees with skin and eye contact to chromium (VI) did not demonstrate knowledge of the health hazards associated with the contaminant.
"We were never briefed on it, well I wasn't when I come through the door. We knew that we had some hazardous chemicals that we were working with, but they were pretty well known throughout the industry. But as far as the contaminants or the dust and stuff like that, I was not familiar with them until this actually broke lose," said Ray Fisher.
According to the CDC, high exposure levels to chromium can cause a number of health problems including irritation of the nose, runny nose, asthma, and in severe cases lung cancer.
Fines and penalties levied in connection with deaths of three employees
posted January 24, 2011
Annawan, Ill. —
Elevator companies in Mt. Carroll and Hillsdale have been fined more than $1.3 million by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in connection with the deaths of three employees in grain bin accidents last year.
Hillsdale Elevator Co. was fined a total of $729,000 as a result of the death of Raymond Nowland, 49, in an accident at the company’s Geneseo facility. That figure includes $15,000 in fines that resulted from an inspection of the company’s elevator in Annawan.
Haasbach LLC of Mt. Carroll was fined $555,000 following an OSHA investigation of the deaths of workers Wyatt Whitebread, 14, and Alex Pacas, 19, at the company’s elevator in Mt. Carroll. OSHA also levied civil money penalties of $68,125 against the company for “employing anyone less than 18. . .to perform hazardous jobs” prohibited by the Fair Labor Standards Act’s child labor standards, according to a news release issued Monday by OSHA.
The news release said Hillsdale Elevator Co. received 17 “willful citations” with penalties of $714,000. The citations allege eight instances of directing workers to enter bins, silos or tanks where a buildup of grain on the sides could fall and bury them; and nine instances of failing to shut down mechanical equipment that could endanger employees.
“A willful violation is one committed with intentional knowing or voluntary disregard for the law’s requirements or with plain indifference to worker safety and health,” the news release said.
In addition, Hillsdale Elevator Co. was fined a total of $15,000 for five serious citations following an inspection of the company’s facility in Annawan. The news release said a serious citation is issued “when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.”
The news release said both elevator companies have 15 days from receipt of the OSHA citations to comply, request a conference with OSHA’s regional director or contest the findings before OSHA’s review commission.
“The tragic deaths of three people could have been prevented had the grain bin owners and operators followed the occupational safety standards and child labor laws,” said Hilda L. Solis, secretary of labor. “It is unconscionable to allow a minor to work in any high-hazard area. Haasbach’s and Hillsdale’s disregard for the law and commonsense safety practices has led to the devastation of three families.”
OSHA is a part of the U.S. Department of Labor.
Region 4 News Release: 10-1748-ATL (19)
Jan. 20, 2011
US Labor Department's OSHA cites Miami business for deliberately
failing to protect employees from lead exposure Lead Enterprises Inc. issued 32 citations, more than $307,000 in penalties
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued citations to Lead Enterprises Inc. in Miami, Fla., alleging that the company knowingly neglected to protect employees from lead exposure. The company is being cited with 32 safety and health violations, and $307,200 in total proposed penalties.
"This company was well aware of what it needed to do to protect its workers from a well-known hazard but failed to provide that protection," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Dr. David Michaels. "Lead exposure can cause many serious health issues including brain damage, kidney disease and harm to the reproductive system. Such a blatant disregard for OSHA's lead standard is shameful and will not be tolerated."
Lead Enterprises is a lead recycling and manufacturing company that produces lead products, including fish tackle, lead diving weights and lead-lined walls used in medical radiology facilities.
As a follow-up to a 2009 inspection, OSHA conducted a July 2010 inspection that resulted in four willful citations and proposed penalties of $224,000. The citations allege violations of OSHA's lead standard including exposing workers to lead above the permissible exposure limit; not providing engineering controls to reduce exposure; failure to perform ventilation measurements; failure to provide a clean change area; and failure to provide a suitable shower facility for workers exposed to lead above the permissible level. A willful violation exists when an employer has demonstrated either an intentional disregard for the requirements of the law or plain indifference to employee safety and health.
Additionally, 21 serious citations with proposed penalties of $70,400 allege that Lead Enterprises failed to perform an initial exposure determination for workers who clean the facility, to conduct quarterly monitoring, to notify workers of air monitoring results, to provide appropriate protective clothing, to maintain surfaces free from lead accumulation, to properly store oxygen and acetylene tanks in the facility, properly install production equipment, and to fix or remove defective forklift trucks. A serious citation is issued when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.
"The management of Lead Enterprises acknowledged awareness of the OSHA lead standard and the dangers associated with lead exposure but continued to allow the hazard to exist, exposing employees to a serious health risk," said Darlene Fossum, OSHA's area director in Fort Lauderdale.
Three repeat citations with a proposed penalty of $11,200 have been issued, alleging that the company failed to cover electrical wires on a furnace fan motor and record injuries on the OSHA recordkeeping forms for 2008 and 2010. A repeat citation is issued when an employer previously has been cited for the same or a similar violation of a standard, regulation, rule or order at any other facility in federal enforcement states within the last five years.
Two other-than-serious citations were issued with $1,600 in proposed penalties for failing to record instances of medical removal on OSHA 300 logs, and label containers that held lead-contaminated clothing. Two additional other-than-serious citations with no monetary penalties have been issued for failing to certify forklift operators and notify the laundering facility of lead exposure dangers.
In August 2010, OSHA issued citations to E.N. Range Inc. in Miami, a sister company of Lead Enterprises. E.N. Range is the primary lead supplier for Lead Enterprises, and both companies have the same owner. The earlier citations alleged that E.N. Range knowingly neglected to protect employees who clean gun ranges from serious overexposure to lead. E.N. Range also was cited for providing, without medical supervision, non-Food and Drug Administration-approved treatments for lead exposure. The company was cited for more than 50 violations of the lead and other standards, with total proposed penalties of $2,099,600. It is currently contesting the citations and penalties.
Lead Enterprises has 15 business days from receipt of the citations and proposed penalties to comply or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. The site was inspected by OSHA's area office in Fort Lauderdale; telephone 954-424-0242. To report workplace accidents, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, call OSHA's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742).
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to assure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov/index.html.
Region 1 News Release: 11-49-BOS/BOS 2011-021
Jan. 20, 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA cites Amesbury, Mass., manufacturer for
emergency response, respirator, chemical, electrical and other hazards Durasol Corp. faces $43,800 in proposed fines
ANDOVER, Mass. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Durasol Corp. for 13 alleged serious violations of workplace health and safety standards at its Amesbury, Mass., manufacturing plant. The manufacturer of hard gum erasers faces a total of $43,800 in proposed fines.
OSHA's inspection found a variety of emergency response, respirator, electrical and chemical hazards. The citations were issued for a lack of an emergency action plan, inadequate employee training in responding to emergencies, inadequate respirator training, lack of respirator fit-testing and medical evaluation, failure to evaluate respiratory hazards, unmarked exit routes, unlabeled containers of chemicals, severely corroded electrical equipment, an extension cord used in place of permanent wiring, inadequately guarded floor holes, missing stair rails, and an uninspected and improperly located emergency eyewash/shower.
OSHA issues a serious citation when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.
"These citations represent a cross section of deficiencies that, left uncorrected, expose workers to chemical and electrical hazards and to the consequences of not knowing how to respond in the event of an emergency," said Jeffrey Erskine, OSHA's area director for Essex and Middlesex counties in Massachusetts. "Prompt and effective corrective action by the company is warranted to ensure the health and well-being of the workers."
Durasol Corp. has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to comply, meet with the OSHA area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. The inspection was conducted by OSHA's Andover Area Office; telephone 978-837-4460. To report workplace incidents, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, call OSHA's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742).
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to assure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov/index.html.
SAN ANTONIO (MMD Newswire) January 19, 2011 - - The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued Greenstar Mid-America LLC 10 serious and 10 other-than-serious citations after an inspection found that workers processing trash were not protected against hypodermic needle sticks and other hazards at the company's facility in San Antonio. Proposed penalties total $53,000.
"This company has put its workers' health at risk by potentially exposing them to bloodborne pathogens, such as hepatitis B," said Jeff Funke, director of OSHA's San Antonio Area Office. "In this case, it is fortunate that no evidence suggests any workers have contracted a disease."
OSHA's San Antonio Area Office initiated a safety and health inspection on July 28, 2010, at the company's facility on Cornerway Boulevard, following a complaint that employees were being stuck by hypodermic needles while sorting trash that was to be recycled.
Serious citations allege failure to provide puncture-resistant gloves for handling trash, provide a tie-off point to prevent employees from falling, use lockout/tagout procedures on machinery, provide a fire alarm system, ensure a fire evacuation plan was followed and ensure workers facing exposure to hepatitis B are vaccinated. A serious citation is issued when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.
The other-than-serious citations allege failure to record injuries within a seven-day period, record restricted days, record days when workers were absent and complete logs with detailed information. An other-than-serious violation is one that has a direct relationship to job safety and health, but probably would not cause death or serious physical harm.
Houston, Texas-based Greenstar is a private national recycling facility that recycles paper, glass and plastic waste from municipal curbside bins. The company, which employs about 145 workers in San Antonio and about 1,000 nationwide, has 15 business days from receipt of the citations to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA's area director in San Antonio or contest the citations and penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
Employers and employees with questions about workplace safety and health standards can call OSHA's San Antonio Area Office at 210-472-5040 or the agency's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742) to report workplace incidents, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers.
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to assure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.
A Bridgford Foods processing plant in Chicago faces up to $212,000 in fines for worker safety violations, a federal agency said Tuesday.
The Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited the producer of meat snacks and deli foods for failing to implement and provide training for workers on lockout procedures, in turn exposing workers to energized equipment.
The federal agency also issued a willful citation for allowing workers to remove a shovel stuck in a conveyor without locking or tagging out the auger, “placing employees in danger of the machine operating while they worked to remove the shovel.”
A willful violation exists when an employer has demonstrated an “intentional disregard” for the requirements of the law or “plain indifference” to employee safety and health, the agency said.
OSHA said it has inspected Bridgford Foods’ Chicago plant three times since November 2007, resulting in 29 health and safety citations. Bridgfood Foods Corp. is headquartered in Anaheim, Calif., and also operates two factories in Dallas and one in Statesville, N.C.
Officials at Bridgford were unavailable for comment. Smjones@tribune.com
United States Steel Corp. and its contractor Power Piping Co. are being fined $175,000 by federal regulators for citations of major safety violations related to an explosion last summer at the Clairton Works facility.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration found U.S. Steel (NYSE: X) had two “willful” violations and 11 serious violations and fined the integrated steel maker $143,500. Power Piping Co. was found to have six serious violations and was fined $31,500, according to a government statement.
The investigation was the result of a July 14 explosion that injured 20 people. Injuries included first, second and third-degree burns, according to OSHA.
In a statement, U.S. Steel said it had cooperated with the government investigation and had received the citations.
“We are currently reviewing the citations. Safety is a core value for our company, and we will continue our extensive, company-wide efforts to ensure the safety of every individual who performs work in our facilities,” the company said in a statement.
According to OSHA, a “willful” violation exists when an employer either intentionally disregards safety requirements or shows an indifference to employee health and safety. The regulator said U.S. Steel did not provide energy control procedure. Additionally, the company was cited for a “lack of fall protection, inadequate lockout/tagout to prevent the inadvertent release of energy, a deficient process safety management program, and failure to implement an emergency response plan, evaluate respiratory hazards, use flame retardant gloves and use approved electrical equipment.”
Power Piping’s violations included “inadequate energy control procedures, a lack of flame retardant hand protection” and “failure to evaluate the respiratory hazards posed by coke oven gas.”
Power Piping declined to comment.
The companies have 15 days to comply with the citations or request a review.
U.S. Steel is scheduled to report its fourth quarter financial results Jan. 25. In the third quarter, the company narrowed its losses.
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited MillerCoors LLC of Golden, Colo., with 10 alleged serious violations of OSHA standards following the July 2010 release in excess of 2000 pounds of anhydrous ammonia at its Golden brewery. Proposed fines total $63,500.
OSHA's investigation found that two employees working on the ammonia system narrowly escaped serious injury when an uncontrolled release occurred during maintenance operations. Anhydrous ammonia is severely corrosive to skin, eyes and the respiratory system.
"Employers must be diligent in ensuring that employees and the public are not unwittingly exposed to serious hazards caused by inadequate maintenance of systems controlling highly hazardous chemicals," said John Healy, OSHA's area office director in Englewood, Colo. "There is no acceptable reason for any employer to require employees to work around such a dangerous chemical without first ensuring they can do so without compromising their safety and health."
The serious citations address failing to follow accepted preventive maintenance procedures required under OSHA's process safety management standard, failing to develop and implement proper lockout/tagout procedures for energy sources, and deficiencies in the emergency eyewash and respirator programs. An OSHA violation is serious when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.
MillerCoors has 15 business days from receipt of all OSHA citations to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA's area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
Scaffolding Violations Lead to Florida Stucco Contractor's $41,200 Fine
"The dangers of scaffolding can be controlled by adhering to OSHA standards, but this company continues to expose its workers to unnecessary hazards," said Darlene Fossum, OSHA area director in Fort Lauderdale.
Jan 19, 2011
OSHA has issued Westport Stucco of southern Florida nine safety citations and $41,200 in penalties following an inspection of the company's site in Cooper City, Fla.
OSHA is issuing four repeat safety citations with $34,800 in fines for failing to initiate and maintain a corporate safety program that complies with OSHA standards, failing to fully plank each working level of scaffolds, failing to equip scaffolds with guardrails, and using scaffolds that were not inspected by a competent person. A repeat violation is issued when an employer previously has been cited for the same or similar violation of a standard, regulation, rule or order at any other facility in federal enforcement states within the last five years.
Four serious citations are being issued with fines of $6,400 for failing to place planking of a scaffolding over a support, to properly brace scaffolds, erect toe boards to prevent falling objects from striking employees beneath the scaffolds, and have a competent person inspect scaffolds after they have been erected, moved, dismantled, or altered. A serious citation is issued when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.
"The dangers of scaffolding can be controlled by adhering to OSHA standards, but this company continues to expose its workers to unnecessary hazards," said Darlene Fossum, OSHA area director in Fort Lauderdale.
Detailed information on scaffold hazards and safe work practices, including an interactive e-Tool, is available online at http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/scaffolding/index.html.
Illinois Contractor Ordered to Notify OSHA of Jobsites to Protect against Cave-Ins
Jan 20, 2011 9:56 AM, By Laura Walter
The U.S. Department of Labor is seeking an administrative court order requiring Gerardi Sewer & Water Co., a Norridge, Ill.-based contractor, to provide a monthly report of its work locations to OSHA, permit unannounced jobsite audits by qualified independent consultants and annually train workers on cave-in protection for the next two years.
“The company’s severe violator history has led us to seek this order to ensure that these worksites are safe for employees,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Dr. David Michaels. “Cave-ins are the leading cause of death in trenching operations, and Gerardi Sewer & Water Co. has demonstrated a history of blatant disregard for worker safety.”
The Labor Department filed an administrative complaint with the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission after the company contested 13 citations and $360,000 in penalties issued Dec. 17, 2010, by OSHA. In addition to asking the review commission to uphold the cited violations and penalties, the Labor Department is requesting the order for additional compliance requirements to assure the safety of workers on future jobsites.
The company received the citations for failing to protect workers from cave-ins during trenching operations noted in four separate inspections conducted in 2010 under the OSHA Trenching and Excavation Special Emphasis Program. The citations are for work performed for the Illinois villages of Elmhurst, Park Ridge, Oak Lawn and Des Plaines.
“This is only the second time that the department has invoked the statutory authority to order ‘other appropriate relief,” said Solicitor of Labor M. Patricia Smith. “All available legal tools will be used where necessary to protect workers from future harm.” Margaret A. Sewell, a trial attorney in the Chicago Regional Office of the Labor Department’s Office of the Solicitor, filed the administrative complaint with the review commission.
Gerardi’s December citations meet the requirements of OSHA’s Severe Violator Enforcement Program, which is intended to focus OSHA enforcement resources on employers with a history of safety violations that endanger workers by demonstrating indifference to their responsibilities under the law. This enforcement tool includes mandatory OSHA follow-up inspections and inspections of other worksites of the same employer where similar hazards and deficiencies may be present. EHS Today was unable to reach a representative from Gerardi Sewer & Water Co. for comment.
OSHA Blasts Demolition Contractor for Lead, Fall Hazards
The company was issued two willful citations with $42,000 in fines and seven serious citations with $10,500 in fines.
Jan 20, 2011
OSHA has cited MJ Scoville Inc., a Binghamton, N.Y., demolition contractor, for nine willful and serious violations of workplace safety and health standards at a building renovation site. The contractor faces a total of $52,500 in proposed fines, chiefly for fall and lead hazards.
OSHA's inspection found Scoville employees exposed to falls of up to 40 feet while working without fall protection as they took down the walls of a fourth floor elevator shaft as well as 14-foot falls from an unguarded scaffold. The employer also failed to conduct personal air monitoring to determine lead exposure levels for employees performing demolition work with materials known to be covered with lead paint, and did not implement interim protective measures including respiratory protection, biological monitoring, medical surveillance, clean change areas, and employee training on lead hazards.
"These are two of the most common and well-known hazards workers can face during demolition operations and must be effectively addressed by the employer on each and every jobsite," said Christopher Adams, OSHA's area director in Syracuse. "Falls can injure or kill a worker in seconds while lead exposure can damage the kidneys and the central nervous, cardiovascular, reproductive, and hematological systems."
The company was issued two willful citations with $42,000 in fines and seven serious citations with $10,500 in fines. A willful violation exists when an employer has demonstrated either an intentional disregard for the requirements of the law or plain indifference to employee safety and health. A serious citation is issued when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.
