Workers Exposed to Excessive Noise, Lack of Machine Guarding, and Other Hazards

OSHA cited American Marazzi Tile Inc. with 25 safety and health violations for exposing workers to excessive noise levels, machine guarding hazards, and other dangerous conditions at its facility in Sunnyvale, TX. Proposed penalties total $318,000.

OSHA’s Dallas Area Office initiated an investigation on July 13 at the company’s Clay Road facility as part of the agency’s Site-Specific Targeting Program, which directs enforcement resources to workplaces with higher-than-average injury and illness rates.

“This company knowingly failed to implement necessary safety and health programs to protect employees from coming into contact with moving parts of machinery and prevent hearing loss,” said John Hermanson, OSHA’s regional administrator in Dallas. “It’s the employer’s responsibility to know the hazards and safeguard workers from these hazards in order to provide a working environment free of injuries and illnesses.”

Three willful violations involve failing to establish and maintain a hearing conservation program for workers exposed to noise levels exceeding 85 decibels; provide the required machine guards for exposed belts, pulleys, chains and sprockets; and establish a lockout/tagout program for energy sources to protect workers from the unexpected start up of machinery. A willful violation is one committed with intentional knowing or voluntary disregard for the law’s requirements, or with plain indifference to employee safety and health.

Twenty-one serious violations involve failing to provide personal protective equipment, provide confined space training, provide machine guarding to prevent workers from coming into contact with rotating parts, develop energy control procedures for machines with more than one energy source, provide fire extinguisher training, properly store oxygen and acetylene cylinders, develop a bloodborne pathogens program, and train employees on hazardous chemicals used in the facility. A serious violation occurs 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.

One other-than-serious violation is for failing to post a copy of the hearing conservation standard in the workplace. 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.

American Marazzi Tile employs about 254 workers who produce ceramic wall and floor tile products at the Sunnyvale location. OSHA has placed the company in its Severe Violator Enforcement Program, which mandates targeted follow-up inspections to ensure compliance with the law. Initiated in June 2010, the program focuses on recalcitrant employers that endanger workers by committing willful, repeat or failure-to-abate violations. For more information on SVEP, visit http://s.dol.gov/J3.

The citations can be viewed at:

http://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/AmericanMarazziTile_314183450_0112_12.pdf*

http://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/AmericanMarazziTile_314183492_0112_12.pdf*.

More than $146,000 in Proposed Penalties

OSHA cited American Felt & Filter Co. for 35 alleged violations of workplace safety and health standards at its New Windsor plant. The company, which manufactures woolen felt for a variety of products, faces a total of $146,300 in proposed fines following an inspection by OSHA’s Albany Area Office.

“Our inspections identified numerous safety and health hazards, including several similar to those cited during earlier OSHA inspections of this facility,” said Arthur Dube, the agency’s acting area director in Albany.” Left uncorrected, these hazards expose employees to possible electrocution, crushing and struck-by injuries, being caught in moving machine parts, hearing loss, falls, eye and hand injuries, asbestos and lead.”

In addition to identifying machine guarding and electrical hazards, OSHA found that the plant failed to inspect cranes and lifting devices; remove an unsafe powered industrial truck from service; properly stack materials; monitor noise levels, and test and train employees exposed to excessive noise levels; provide first-aid supplies, eye and hand protection, and an emergency eyewash; ensure appropriate respiratory protection and other safeguards for employees exposed to lead; perform asbestos exposure monitoring; identify and label asbestos-containing materials; and provide training for employees on asbestos hazards. These conditions resulted in citations for 32 serious violations carrying $118,580 in penalties. A serious violation occurs 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.

Three repeat violations carrying $27,720 in fines involve unguarded lathes and failure to implement an effective respiratory protection program. A repeat violation exists 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. OSHA cited the plant for similar hazards in 2007.

“One means of preventing new and recurring hazards is to implement and maintain an effective illness and injury prevention program in which management and employees work together to proactively identify and eliminate hazardous conditions,” said Robert Kulick, OSHA’s regional administrator in New York.

The citations can be viewed at

http://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/AmericanFeltandFilterCo-315750224-12282011.pdf  http://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/AmericanFeltandFilterCo-313764250-12282011.pdf

OSHA Cites Dallas Facility for Exposing Workers to Noise & Energized Machine Hazards

Anaheim, CA based Bridgford Foods Corp. was cited for 27 safety and health violations at its food manufacturing facility in Dallas, with proposed penalties totaling $422,600. The violations include, among others, failing to establish and maintain a hearing conservation program for workers exposed to noise hazards beyond the permissible exposure limit, and failing to establish a lockout/tagout program for energy sources to protect workers from machines starting up unexpectedly.

“Bridgford Foods has a history of failing to implement necessary safety and health programs to prevent the unexpected start-up of machines and prevent hearing loss,” said OSHA Regional Administrator John Hermanson in Dallas. “Under the law, it is the employer’s responsibility to provide a safe and healthy workplace.”

OSHA’s investigation of the facility on South Good Latimer Expressway found 20 serious violations carrying $129,000 in penalties. They include failing to provide guardrails on mixers, ovens and ice machines; provide machine guarding to prevent workers from coming into contact with rotating parts; develop energy control procedures for machinery with more than one energy source; and ensure that employees were trained on the use of energy control procedures. A serious violation occurs 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.

Six repeat violations, with penalties of $292,500, include failing to provide training on the hazards of electrical equipment, ensure that workers operating powered industrial trucks are evaluated at least every three years, establish and maintain an audiometric testing program, and train employees on hearing protection who are exposed to noise levels at or above an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels. A repeat violation exists 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. OSHA cited the company for similar violations in February 2008 with penalties of $8,000, in September 2008 with penalties of $33,900, and again in January 2010 with penalties of $106,000.

One other-than-serious violation, with a penalty of $1,100, was cited for failing to post a copy of the hearing conservation standard in the workplace. 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. OSHA has placed Bridgford in its Severe Violator Enforcement Program, which mandates targeted follow-up inspections to ensure compliance with the law. Initiated in June 2010, the program focuses on recalcitrant employers that endanger workers by committing willful, repeat or failure-to-abate violations. For more information on SVEP, click here.

View the citations here and here.

OSHA cites Allentown, Pa., soft drink company for exposing workers to safety and health hazards

A-Treat Bottling Co. is cited for 24 safety and health violations at its Allentown facility. OSHA initiated a Jan. 21 inspection under a local emphasis program focused on follow-up inspections and noise hazards. Proposed fines total $110,880.

“The hazards found at this facility risk the safety and health of workers and must be corrected immediately,” said Jean Kulp, director of OSHA’s Allentown Area Office.

Six repeat violations with penalties of $43,120 reflect the company’s failure to maintain required records, conduct a baseline audiogram for an employee overexposed to noise hazards, conduct annual hearing conservation training for employees overexposed to noise hazards, conduct adequate forklift operations and ensure equipment had proper machine guards in place to protect employees. A repeat violation exists 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 was cited for the same violations in 2008 and 2010 at the Allentown facility.

Seventeen serious violations with penalties of $67,760 involve the company’s failure to develop and utilize documented energy control procedures; provide training to employees utilizing energy control procedures; provide a proper eye wash for employees working with citric acid; provide machine guards on equipment; maintain copies of material safety data sheets for all chemicals; maintain clear and unobstructed exit routes; maintain exit doors and illuminated exit signs in proper working order; educate employees in fire extinguisher use; maintain forklifts in safe operating condition; provide a seatbelt for a forklift; protect employees from electrical hazards; and implement controls to reduce employee exposure to occupational noise.

One other-than-serious violation with no monetary penalty was cited for failing to ensure electrical equipment was guarded to prevent employee contact.

A-Treat Bottling Co. is a soft drink beverage manufacturer and bottler that employs about 50 workers at its Allentown site.

OSHA cites Northeastern Wisconsin Wood Products for 18 safety and health violations; fines total nearly $379,000

Company has history of noncompliance with worker protection standards

POUND, Wis. – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Northeastern Wisconsin Wood Products in Pound for a total of 18 alleged health and safety, including 13 willful, violations. The company is facing $378,620 in proposed penalties following a January inspection.

“Northeastern Wisconsin Wood Products has a history of failing to comply with OSHA standards. The company has yet to abate many violations cited in a previous inspection,” said Michael Connors, OSHA’s regional administrator in Chicago. “When employers knowingly ignore safety and health requirements, they are unduly placing their workers at risk for illnesses and injuries, and that is unacceptable.”

Northeastern Wisconsin Wood Products was first inspected by OSHA in 2006 and issued eight citations. A follow-up inspection in 2007 found that most of the originally cited hazards remained unabated. Following the May 2010 issuance of a secretary of labor petition for summary enforcement, the company was given 30 days to work with a Wisconsin state consultation service to abate the violations. The consultation service is alleged to have ended the abatement process due to a lack of cooperation by the company. Many of the originally cited violations once again were cited during the January 2011 inspection.

Five willful health violations involve failing to implement a hearing conservation program for employees whose noise exposure exceeded 85 decibels; perform and certify a hazard assessment of the workplace; develop and implement a hazard communication program to include training for employees; maintain copies of material data sheets; and provide appropriate eye protection for workers. Additionally, the company allowed unsanitary conditions to pose serious fire and explosion hazards by letting sawdust accumulate in a pile of approximately 4 feet by the outer wall and several inches on horizontal surfaces such as pipes, wall supports and ledges.

Eight willful safety violations involve a lack of machine guarding on belts, pulleys, gears and band saw blades; a lack of guardrails; unguarded open-sided floors and platforms presenting a fall hazard greater than 4 feet; not using electrical equipment correctly; and not effectively closing openings in boxes and cabinets. 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. Proposed penalties for the 13 willful citations total $360,800.

The company also was cited for one repeat safety violation, with a proposed penalty of $7,920, for failing to provide potable water for drinking. A repeat violation exists 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.

Three serious safety violations, with proposed penalties of $9,900, include failing to periodically inspect energy control procedures, use group lockout devices and train employees in electrical safety. A serious violation occurs 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.

One other-than-serious violation, with no monetary penalty, was cited for failing to provide an illuminated exit sign. 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.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Pallflex Co. in Connecticut for 29 alleged violations of workplace safety and health standards at its Putnam manufacturing plant. The filter manufacturer faces a total of $121,650 in proposed fines following a comprehensive OSHA inspection opened in January.

“The sizable penalties proposed here reflect the breadth and severity of the conditions found during this inspection,” said Paul Mangiafico, OSHA’s area director in Hartford. “Left uncorrected, they expose employees to injury, illness or death from falls, lacerations, being caught in moving machinery, electrocution, fire, hearing loss, or being overcome by an oxygen-deficient or toxic atmosphere while working in a confined space. Effective steps must be taken to correct these conditions and prevent their recurrence.”

OSHA’s inspection identified a variety of hazards that can occur in a manufacturing environment, resulting in citations for 24 serious violations carrying $120,650 in proposed fines. They include fall hazards from unguarded tank platforms; improper storage and dispensing of flammable liquids; inadequate personal protective equipment; lack of a confined space program and procedures to safeguard workers who enter storage tanks; no annual fire extinguisher training; unguarded operating machine parts; several electrical-related hazards; lack of a hearing conservation program; and failure to perform initial formaldehyde exposure monitoring.

Additionally, five other-than-serious violations with $1,000 were cited, including improperly maintained OSHA illness and injury logs.

OSHA cites China Grove, Texas bakery for 49 violations following a finger amputation for exposing workers to combustible dust, electrical, fall, other hazards

Federal OSHA has cited Lone Star Bakery Inc. for 32 serious, one repeat and 16 other-than-serious violations following an amputation incident and multiple inspections at two of the company’s facilities in China Grove. Violations include exposing workers to combustible dust, fall and electrical hazards, among others. Proposed penalties total $229,400.

“This company has jeopardized the health and safety of its workers,” said Jeff Funke, OSHA’s area director in San Antonio. “Employees were exposed to many hazards, including excessive accumulations of combustible flour dust that could have ignited and caused serious injuries.”

OSHA’s San Antonio Area Office initiated a safety and health inspection on Oct. 18, 2010, at the company’s facility at 8100 E. U.S. Highway 87, following a finger tip amputation incident on the pie processing line. A second safety inspection began on Dec. 15, 2010, at the company’s facility at 6905 E. U.S. Highway 87 as the result of a fire that occurred from excessive buildup of bread materials in the ovens. A second health inspection was initiated Jan. 24 at the company’s 8100 Highway 87 facility following a report that employees were being exposed to excessive levels of noise and not being protected by a hearing conservation program.

The serious violations include failing to ensure that employees were protected from falls; to clean combustible dust from workroom floors and other surfaces; to cover drain openings; to ensure that exits were free from obstructions and unlocked; and to ensure electrical deficiencies were corrected.

The repeat violation is failing to ensure that a metal junction box was permanently mounted in accordance with the listing and labeling required by the manufacturer. A repeat violation exists 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. OSHA cited Lone Star Bakery for a similar violation following a 2006 inspection that resulted in total penalties of $78,300.

Other-than-serious violations include failing to record each work-related injury or illness case that met general recording criteria, and complete an incident report form for each work-related injury or illness case that met the general recording criteria for both locations from 2007 to 2010.

Lone Star Bakery, a private commercial bakery that employs about 500 workers at the two China Grove facilities.

OSHA has cited APC Paper Co. Inc. for alleged willful, repeat and serious violations of workplace safety and health standards following the July 26, 2010, death of a worker at the company’s paper mill in Claremont, N.H. Penalties are $288,000.

The worker died after he was pulled into the running nip points of a paper roller while hand-feeding paper into the roller. OSHA’s inspection found that the company failed to provide an effective means of directing paper into the roller’s nip points that would have precluded the hand-feeding. The company also failed to guard various other moving parts on the paper machine against employee contact. As a result, OSHA issued APC Paper three willful citations for these conditions. 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.

“Had the company utilized a safe and effective means of automatically feeding the roller, instead of relying on hand-feeding, this incident and the resulting loss of this worker’s life would not have occurred,” said Rosemarie Ohar, OSHA’s area director for New Hampshire.

OSHA issued the company seven serious citations for more hazards at the mill, including lack of guardrails on the paper machine and the building’s roof; not training employees who worked on and tested live electrical equipment; not de-energizing live equipment and employing safe electrical work practices; not providing employees with hearing protection refitting and retraining when hearing loss was detected; and additional machine guarding hazards. 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. Three other-than-serious citations were issued for incomplete and inadequate recording of hearing loss, and other illness and injury data.

The company was issued one repeat citation for not guarding the calendar stack on the paper machine, a hazardous condition similar to one that OSHA cited in November 2009 at the company’s Norfolk, N.Y., plant. A repeat violation 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.

APC Paper Co. Inc. faces a total of $288,000 in proposed fines, including $210,000 for the willful citations, $40,000 for the serious citations, $3,000 for the other-than-serious citations and $35,000 for the repeat citation.

Steel giant hit with Willfuls and $53,000 for failing to record worker injuries, hearing loss

Federal OSHA has issued AK Steel Corp. five willful and three other-than-serious citations for failing to record occupational injuries at its Middletown Ohio facility. The company, which produces flat-rolled and tubular steel products, is facing proposed penalties of $53,000.

The Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA David Michaels stated in a press release “AK Steel has implemented policies where a portion of its managers’ bonus money often involves taking disciplinary action against workers for reporting injuries, if accurate records are not compiled because workers believe they will be fired or disciplined for reporting an injury, or supervisors fear they will lose their bonuses if workers report injuries, real safety is not being achieved. Accurate workplace injury and illness records are vital tools for identifying hazards and protecting workers’ health and safety.”

OSHA has issued AK Steel willful citations for failing to properly record occupational injuries on the OSHA 300 Log for more than three years, from January 2007 through the inspection in April 2010. A willful violation is one committed with intentional, knowing or voluntary disregard for the law’s requirements, or plain indifference to employee safety and health.

“By not properly recording injuries and creating an environment that discourages employees from reporting occupational hazards, AK Steel has demonstrated a blatant disregard for the safety and welfare of its workers,” said OSHA Area Director Dick Gilgrist of Cincinnati, Ohio. “OSHA is committed to seeing that the workers at this facility are provided a safe and healthy workplace.”

AK Steel also has been issued other-than-serious citations for failing to record cases of occupational noise-induced hearing loss.

AK Steel’s facilities have been inspected more than 138 times and have received 496 citations from OSHA since 1972. The company, which is headquartered in West Chester, Ohio, was cited in 2008 for recordkeeping violations at its Coshocton, Ohio, facility. AK Steel also operates facilities in Mansfield and Zanesville, Ohio, as well as Ashland, Ky., Butler, Pa., and Rockport, Ind.

OSHA cites AAR Summa Technology in Huntsville, Ala., with proposed penalties of $191,500 for 22 safety and health violations

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued 22 citations against AAR Summa Technology for exposing workers to safety and health hazards at its Huntsville plant. Proposed penalties total $191,500.

“Management needs to show a commitment to worker safety and health consistent with this company’s ranking as one of the top defense contractors in the world,” said Roberto Sanchez, OSHA’s area director in Birmingham, Ala.

OSHA began its inspection in February after receiving a complaint about hazards at the facility, which produces military aircraft parts. Two willful safety violations were issued for failing to provide proper lockout/tagout procedures of energy sources for workers performing maintenance and service functions on machinery, and for failing to provide protective machine guards on equipment.

Sixteen serious safety violations were issued for failing to repair or replace hooks used to lift and hold shop fabricated lifting devices, allowing materials to obstruct the exit pathways, failing to properly maintain machinery, exposing workers to electrical hazards, failing to train workers on hazards associated with aluminum dust, and using excessively pressurized compressed air to clean off parts.

Three serious health violations were issued for exposing workers to noise hazards, failing to perform audiometric tests on employees and failing to train workers on hazards related to noise.

A repeat health violation was issued for failing to provide a site-specific written respiratory protection program. A repeat violation is issued when an employer previously was cited for the same or a similar violation of any standard, regulation, rule or order at any other facility in federal enforcement states within the last three years.