Avoid violations and penalties like the ones listed below, and even more important the potential for accidents and injuries, by ensuring that you are in compliance with OSHA standards that apply to your workplace.

Illinois Employer Placed in SVEP Following Fatal Accident

A worker at a metal fabrication plant was fatally crushed by an automated laser-cutting machine. OSHA’s investigation of the accident uncovered willful violations, including bypassing machine safeguards and failure to use lockout/tagout. The employer was also cited for serious violations for failure to guard open-sided floors and platforms, lack of forklift inspections, lack of lockout training, and other hazards. Because of the severity of the hazards, the employer was fined $317,000 and has been placed in OSHA’s Severe Violator Enforcement Program (SVEP), which mandates targeted follow-up inspections.

Nebraska Employer Cited for Unprotected Trenches

After a worker was seriously injured when a 9-foot trench collapsed, OSHA inspectors found unprotected trenches not only at the site where the incident occurred but also at another jobsite operated by the company. As a result, OSHA cited the company for 10 safety violations, 2 of which were considered willful. The employer was fined $194,000 and placed in SVEP.

Retail Chain Faces Repeat Citations for Exit Access Issues

A retail location in New York was fined $199,500 for repeat violations related to obstructed exit routes, stacks of boxes too close to fire sprinklers, blocked access to a fire extinguisher, and stairways narrowed to unsafe widths, among other violations. Similar violations had been uncovered in previous years at other locations owed by the retail chain.

Texas Employer Fined for Lockout/Tagout Violations

An aluminum extruder that makes windows and door frames has been cited with 15 safety violations, including a willful violation for exposing its employees to uncontrolled hazardous energy. The willful violation was for failing to develop written lockout/tagout procedures and make them available to workers. Other violations related to the lockout standard included failing to conduct periodic inspections of lockout/tagout operations and failure to provide lockout/tagout training. The company was fined $166,000.

Multiple Fractures at Ohio Facility Lead to Citations

An employee at a plastics packaging facility injured his forearm when it was pulled into a winder machine. In the previous four months, three similar incidents had occurred, resulting in fractured forearms for three other employees. An OSHA inspection revealed that the winder machine was responsible for at least 15 additional injuries over a 5-year period. OSHA cited the company with a willful violation for failing to have adequate machine guarding. The company was also cited for installing ring guards on emergency stop actuators of the winder machine, which prevented employees from readily activating the emergency stop buttons.

Workers Injured in Explosion and Fire

Flammable vapors ignited in the production facility of an OSHA Region 5 paint plant, causing an explosion and fire in which three employees were seriously injured. Following an OSHA inspection, the company was cited for 26 safety violations, including two willful violations for locked doors and snow-blocked exits that preventing employees from exiting the burning building quickly. This employer was fined $262,000 and placed in SVEP.

Workers Exposed to Anhydrous Ammonia

OSHA inspected a Region 7 food storage facility under its national emphasis program for process safety management and cited the company with 14 safety violations, four of them willful. Among the violations: failure to implement written safe operating procedures and measures to take in response to anhydrous ammonia exposures. The employer was fined $132,800 and placed in OSHA’s Severe Violator Enforcement Program (SVP).

Employee Complaint Leads to 21 Serious Violations

A worker’s complaint led to an inspection of a New Hampshire textile manufacturing facility, where OSHA inspectors uncovered numerous hazards leading to 21 citations for serious violations. According to OSHA, among other safety problems workers were not protected from arc flash, fall protection equipment was not provided, confined space hazards were not properly identified, machines were not properly guarded, and lockout/tagout procedures were not followed. The employer was fined $115,000.

Fatality Leads to SVEP Placement and Fine

A worker at a shingle manufacturing plant in Wisconsin was fatally injured while servicing machinery that had not been locked out to prevent accidental start-up. The resulting OSHA inspection led to two willful violations related to lockout/tagout as well as five other serious violations covering other workplace hazards. The employer was fined $156,240 and placed in SVEP.

Workers Exposed to Amputation Hazards

An OSHA inspection of an Ohio manufacturer was initiated under the agency’s national emphasis program for amputations. The inspection uncovered numerous hazards that led to 16 violations of OSHA standards. OSHA’s area director in Toledo said, “Our inspection found that employees were exposed to injury and amputation risk in the facility because of insufficient guarding at the point of operation for various machines.… Amputation hazards of one of the leading causes of injury in manufacturing.” The employer was fined $147,600.

Forklift Accident Kills Two

After a worker and self-employed truck driver were struck and killed by a forklift at a Texas plastic manufacturing facility, OSHA conducted an investigation of the facility and cited the two companies operating there with 16 serious safety violations. Among other violations, OSHA inspectors found that the employers violated forklift training requirements. A penalty of $97,200 was imposed.

For assistance with your environmental and safety regulatory compliance needs, contact Ralph Carito at Total Environmental & Safety, LLC (Total) at 908-442-8599 or rcarito@TotalEnviron.com