September 14, 2015
Atlanta window and door manufacturer, staffing agencies cited for exposing
nearly 90 workers to fire, amputations and other serious safety hazards.
OSHA proposes nearly $70K in fines to three companies
Employer names: Dyke Industries Inc., Staff Right Inc., and Koosharem LLC, doing business as Select Staffing
Inspection site: 6600 Best Friend Road, Norcross, Georgia 30071
Citations issued: Citations were issued on Sept. 10, 2015.
Investigation findings: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited Dyke Industries for 11 serious and one other-than-serious safety violations. Investigators found that the employer failed to ensure that workers followed safety procedures to prevent machinery from starting up during maintenance and servicing, failed to train workers to use fire extinguishers, and exposed workers to fire and explosion hazards due to combustible dust accumulation.
Select Staffing and Staff Right Inc., staffing agencies that supplied temporary workers for Dyke Industries, were each issued one serious and one other-than-serious citation for exposing workers to unguarded machinery.
Proposed penalties for the three companies total $66,000.
Quote: "This employer was taking a wait-and-see approach to safety. Employers must proactively identify and remove workplace hazards – not wait for OSHA to open an inspection or even worse, for a worker to be injured or killed," said Bill Fulcher, director of OSHA's Atlanta-East Area Office. "All workers, including temporary employees, deserve a safe and healthy workplace."
The citations can be viewed at: http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/osha/OSHA20151775a.pdf*
http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/osha/OSHA20151775b.pdf*
http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/osha/OSHA20151775c.pdf*
Dyke Industries and the staffing agencies have 15 business days from receipt of their citations and proposed penalties to comply, request a conference with OSHA's area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. To ask questions, obtain compliance assistance, file a complaint or report workplace hospitalizations, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, the public should call OSHA's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742) or the agency's Atlanta-East Area Office at 770-493-6644.