An Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) inspection found that permanent and temporary employees at the SCA, Inc. facility in Auburn, Ala., were at risk of electrocution, amputation by moving machine parts and dangerous falls while working at the automobile parts manufacturer. SCA manufactures auto parts, such as blowers, heaters and evaporators for Hyundai, Kia and Ford Motor Co. Liberty Staffing provides about 115 employees to SCA. OSHA cited SCA and Liberty Staffing for 21 safety violations. Proposed penalties for the two companies total $158,020.
“Host employers, as well as the temporary staffing agencies, have the responsibility to protect their employees from being exposed to hazards in the workplace and should not wait for an OSHA inspection to identify safety and health deficiencies,” said Joseph Roesler, OSHA’s area director in Mobile.
OSHA issued repeated citations to SCA for exposing workers to falls of up to 10 feet while working on a platform without a ladder access gate or chain guard, failing to reduce the compressed air for cleaning to 30 pounds per square inch, not having standard railings installed on open-sided floors or platforms and exposing workers to shock from live electrical parts. SCA was also cited for exposing employees to accidental machine startup from potential stored energy while servicing or conducting maintenance activities. Both companies received serious citations for allowing workers to operate the injection molding machine without protection; not securing gas cylinders to prevent them from being knocked over; and failing to provide a functional eye and body wash station. For more information, read the news release.
For more information or assistance with your Environmental and Health & Safety regulatory compliance needs, contact Ralph Carito at Total Environmental & safety, LLC (Total) at rcarito@TotalEnviron.com or 908-442-8599.