OSHA Wrap Up: November 2014
OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) is responsible for the regulation of safe and healthy work environments for working men and women by means of enforcing standards and conducting training, education, and assistance. Through numerous acts and statutes, OSHA holds companies to a standard of working conditions that is both beneficial and safe for both employees and employers. Often, companies either willingly or inadvertently disregard certain standards set forth by OSHA thereby violating the mandated regulations. When this occurs, OSHA steps in and assesses the extent of the violations and cites them in order to prevent further occurrences of such violations.
The following companies were cited with various OSHA violations in the past month:
The following companies were cited with various OSHA violations in the past month:
- In Paris, Illinois, workers at Septimus Inc., a cornstarch processing plant, were exposed to combustible cornstarch dust in excess of permissible exposure limits as well as other hazards. Following an April 30, 2014 inspection of the facility by OSHA, the company was cited for 21 serious safety and health violations. The investigation revealed industrial vehicles in poor repair as well as electrical violations which would provide ignition sources for the dust. The citations carried with them a proposed penalty totaling $46,400 in fines by the U.S. Department of Labor's OSHA.
- In Portage, Wisconsin, workers cleaning a chemical spill at Penda Corp, demonstrated a lack of proper training in cleanup procedures in addition to not being provided the proper personal protective equipment. The investigation was prompted following a complaint that stated the improper cleanup of diphenylmethane disocyanate, an isocyanate. Workers experienced symptoms of overexposure to the isocyanate chemical including occupational asthma as well as other lung problems, irritation of the eyes, nose, throat, and skin. The company was cited with seven serious violations and faces penalties of $49,000.
- In Canton, Ohio, employees of TimkenSteel Corp were found to be exposed to multiple amputation and fall hazards. Following allegations from employees concerning unsafe working conditions amounting to two serious violations for failure to guard floor holes as well as missing guardrails on platforms of approximately 8 feet. Additionally, the corporation was cited for failure to guard cranes and crane trolley runways, another fall hazard. Upon a third inspection, three serious violations concerning exposure to moving machinery parts were discovered. OSHA cited 12 serious safety violations which proposed penalties of $77,000.
Compliancy is not only important for the secure operation of a construction site or a plant but for the overall safety and protection of the site's employees. For training and extensive courses, visit GreenEdu.com to maintain compliance to all such OSHA standards and requirements.
