OSHA will hold meeting of the Maritime Advisory Committee for Occupational Safety and Health

FEBRUARY 18, 2015

Contact: Office of Communications

Phone: 202-693-1999

WASHINGTON – The Occupational Safety and Health Administration will hold a meeting of the Maritime Advisory Committee for Occupational Safety and Health Feb. 24-25, 2015, in Washington, D.C. Work groups will meet Feb. 24 and the full committee will meet Feb. 25.


The committee meeting agenda includes discussions on maritime-related OSHA alliances, updates from OSHA directorates, use of liquefied natural gas as a fuel in the maritime industry and reports from the Longshoring and Shipyard work groups.


MACOSH was established under Section 7 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 to advise the secretary of labor through the assistant secretary of labor for occupational safety and health on workplace safety and health issues in the maritime industries.


The meeting will be held at the U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20210. The work groups will meet from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 24, in Conference Rooms N-3437A and N-3437C. The full committee will meet from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 25, in Conference Room N-3437.


MACOSH meetings are open to the public. Individuals may submit comments and requests to speak at http://www.regulations.gov, the Federal eRulemaking Portal. Submissions may also be sent by mail or facsimile. See the Federal Register notice for details.


Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to ensure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.

Employees at Bristol, Connecticut, trash-to-energy plant exposed to combustible dust, fire, electrical, confined space, other hazards. OSHA proposes $80,100 in fines for Covanta Energy Bristol Inc.

FEBRUARY 17, 2015 

 Employer name: Covanta Energy Bristol Inc.


Inspection site: 170 Enterprise Rd., Bristol, Conn. 06010


Date inspection initiated: The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration began an inspection on Oct. 1, 2014, in response to a complaint. 


Investigation findings: OSHA cited the plant for 16 serious violations of workplace safety and health standards. These included: allowing combustible dust to accumulate on ledges, conduits, floors, guardrails, work platforms and catwalks; failing to determine employees' exposure level to ash containing toxic metals such as lead, cadmium and arsenic; inadequate training and protective clothing for an employee performing testing on live electrical parts; inadequate safeguards for employees working in confined spaces; lack of an emergency eyewash for employees working with batteries; as well as fall, fork truck, air pressure and mechanical hazards. 

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


Proposed Penalties: $80,100.


Quote: "Covanta Energy Bristol Inc. needlessly exposed its employees to the hazards of electrocution, fire, falls, slips and trips, crushing, being trapped or overcome in a confined space, eye injuries and cancer, lung or kidney damage," said Terence McEvily, OSHA's acting area director in Hartford. "It must take effective steps to eliminate these hazards and prevent them from happening again.


Next Steps: Covanta Energy Bristol Inc. has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to comply, meet 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 Hartford Area Office at 860-240-3152.

Alliance Tubular Products again ignores violations and exposes workers to dangerous machinery and risk of serious injury. Alliance, Ohio, manufacturer faces $139,800 in fines for serious safety violations

FEBRUARY 17, 2015

ALLIANCE, OHIO

Twice in a year, Alliance Tubular Products LLC has put workers at risk of amputation* and other serious injury by allowing dangerous machinery to operate unsafely. A July 2014 inspection by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration found three repeated and four serious violations, with fines of $139,800 at the high-end industrial steel tubing manufacturer's location in Alliance. 

The company was also placed in OSHA's Severe Violator Enforcement Program for its failure to address safety violations.


"Alliance Tubular was well aware of the dangers these machines posed to workers and failed to implement the proper protective procedures," said Brigitte Frank, OSHA's acting area director in Cleveland. "Each year, thousands of workers are injured by dangerous machinery. These types of violations are among the most frequently cited by OSHA and often result in death or permanent disability."


OSHA issued three repeated citations after the agency found workers were exposed to operating machinery parts on weld mills and other industrial machines at the plant because safety mechanisms were not properly installed.


OSHA cited similar violations at the company's facility in Darlington, Pennsylvania, in 2014 and at the Alliance facility in 2012. OSHA issues repeated violations if 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 five years.


Inspectors also noted four serious violations at Alliance Tubular that involved lack of procedures to prevent unintentional operation of machinery during maintenance and the use of railings that were not rated for the platforms on which they were installed. An OSHA violation is serious if death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard an employer knew or should have known exists.


View the current citations at http://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/AllianceTubularProducts_994442_0129_15.pdf*.


Alliance Tubular is a subsidiary of PTC Alliance Corp., headquartered in Wexford, Pennsylvania. PTC Alliance Corp. employs 2,100 workers companywide, with 247 at the Alliance facility. 


The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal 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 Cleveland Area Office at 216-447-4194.


Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to ensure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.

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OSHA fines Seitz Technical Products more than $42K for exposing workers to chemical hazards at Oxford, Pa., facility

FEBRUARY 17, 2015

Employer name: Seitz Technical Products Inc.


Inspection site: 160 Limestone Road, Oxford, Pa.


Date inspection initiated and what prompted inspection: The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration initiated its inspection on Sept. 13, 2014, in response to a complaint.


Investigation findings: OSHA investigators found that workers were exposed to chemical hazards while assembling surgical carts used at medical facilities. Citations were issued for three repeat and five serious violations, including the company's failure to:

• Provide an eyewash station for employees using hazardous chemicals;
• Provide a hazardous communication program for employees;
• Properly label hazardous chemicals;
• Produce chemical safety data sheets; and
• Provide hazardous chemical training to employees.

"Seitz employees were regularly using chemicals that can burn the skin and the eyes, and they weren't given protective equipment or trained about the potential hazards," said Nicholas DeJesse, director of OSHA's Philadelphia Area Office. "For employees who work with hazardous chemicals, chemical containers labels, safety data sheets, and training can mean the difference between a safe environment and serious harm."


The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to comply, request a conference with OSHA's area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety & Health Review Commission.


Proposed Penalties: $42,350


View the citations at: http://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/SeitzTechnology_1000415_0206_2015.pdf*

Mercury Products Corp. fails to train, protect temp workers from mechanical and electrical hazards. OSHA cites Schaumburg, Illinois, company for 25 safety and health violations

FEBRUARY 12, 2015

Employer name: Mercury Products Corp.


Inspection site: Mercury Products Corp., 1201 S. Mercury Drive, Schaumburg, Illinois


On Aug. 13, 2014, a safety and health inspection was initiated at Mercury Products Corp., by the Chicago North Area Office of the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration after receiving a formal complaint. The company employs about 120 temporary employees in addition to its permanent workforce of about 110.


Investigation findings: OSHA investigators noted 11 safety and 14 health violations.


One repeat safety violation was cited for failing to properly train and supervise workers operating mechanical presses. Mercury Products was cited for this same violation in June 2010.


Additionally, five serious safety violations were noted for not protecting workers from moving parts of machinery, providing employees personal protective equipment, and exposing workers to electrical hazards. 


Mercury Products Corp. also failed to provide hearing protection and audiometric testing for employees, which can identify premature hearing loss. Noise-related hearing loss is one of the most prevalent occupational health concerns in the U.S., with an estimated 30 million people occupationally exposed to noise each year. This exposure can cause permanent hearing loss that neither surgery nor a hearing aid can correct. 

Other serious health violations involved failing to train workers about hazardous chemicals and products used in the facility and monitor exposure to hexavalent chromium, which can occur during "hot work," such as welding on stainless steel. Hexavalent chromium is a known carcinogen.

The company also received 10 other-than-serious violations for not recording workplace injuries and illnesses, providing information on respirators and properly labeling containers of hazardous chemicals. 


An OSHA violation is serious if death or physical harm can result from a hazard an employer knew or should have known exists. A repeat violation is issued when the company has been cited for the same or a similar violation within the past five years.
      

The Schaumburg facility produces metal parts for the automotive industry.          


Proposed Penalties: $86,130.


Quote: "Temporary workers are entitled to the same safety and health protections as direct hire and permanent employees. No worker should be exposed to dangerous operating parts of machinery, noise hazards or chemicals without the proper safeguards, equipment and training," said Angeline Loftus, OSHA's area director at the Chicago North Area Office. "Mercury Products Corp.'s repeat violation is an indication that the safety of its workforce is not a priority." 


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 Chicago North Area Office in Des Plaines at 847-803-4800.

Workers at a Fort Worth, Texas-based plumbing and heating equipment producer exposed to safety hazards. PVI Industries fined $93,700 for 18 safety violations

FEBRUARY 12, 2015

Employer name: PVI Industries LLC 

Site: Fort Worth, Texas 

Date initiated: The Site Specific Targeted* inspections, which are planned inspections at high-hazard workplaces where the highest rates of injuries and illnesses occur, began Aug. 28, 2014. 

Investigation findings: OSHA cited the employer for 17 serious safety violations that include failure to:

• ensure spreader bars used for lifting equipment and materials were rated, labeled and inspected;
• certify entry into Permit Required Confined Spaces;
• ensure no more than one day's use of chemicals were stored in a paint booth;
• guard a drill press, bench grinder and other machinery;
• conduct an annual inspection on overhead cranes;
• develop written lockout/tagout procedures to properly shut down and isolate potentially hazardous residual energy on machinery;
• ensure air sampling was conducted prior to and during permit required confined space entry; and
• ensure workers did not eat or drink in areas where hexavalent chromium, a known carcinogen, is produced from stainless steel welding operations.

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. An other-than-serious violation was cited for failure to conduct eyewash maintenance. 

Proposed penalties: $93,700 

Quote: "PVI Industries has shown a complete disregard for the safety of their workers, and that needs to change," said Jack Rector, OSHA's area director in Fort Worth. "The absence of air monitoring and proper equipment, the exposure to amputation hazards - all of this contributes to dangerous and unacceptable hazards." 

Information: 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 Fort Worth Area Office at 817-581-7303.

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OSHA fines moving and storage company nearly $90K for exposing workers to asbestos hazards at Newark, New Jersey, warehouse

FEBRUARY 17, 2015

Employer name: Brantley Brothers Moving & Storage Co. Inc.


Investigation site: 168 Elizabeth Ave., Newark, N.J.


Date investigation initiated: The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration initiated an investigation on Oct. 17, 2014, in response to a complaint.


Investigation findings: OSHA cited the company for 14 serious violations that included:

• Safety and health precautions -- such as using a regulated area and personal protective equipment, and conducting exposure monitoring -- were not in place for workers removing pipes and pipe insulation containing asbestos;
• Asbestos was not identified and labeled in the storage warehouse;
• Employees were not trained on the proper handling of asbestos and related health hazards; and
• Workers were exposed to fire hazards due to improperly maintained exit routes.

"In 2015, nobody should be surprised to learn that asbestos exposure is dangerous," said Kris Hoffman, director of OSHA's Parsippany Area Office. 

"Brantley Brothers required its employees to remove dry asbestos from piping without any personal protection equipment. Asbestos exposure can cause cancer and asbestosis, which is a serious lung disease, so having untrained and unprotected workers conduct such work is both irresponsible and totally unacceptable."


The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to comply, request a conference with OSHA's area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety & Health Review Commission.


Proposed penalties: $89,600

Citations are attached.

Central Transport LLC shipping exposes terminal employees in multiple states to injuries and death from defective forklifts. US Labor Department files complaint as company repeatedly ignores safety needs

Feb. 12, 2015 

BOSTON – Employees at Central Transport LLC's 170 freight shipping terminals nationwide use forklifts daily to move, handle, load and unload freight and other materials. These vehicles must be maintained according to recognized safety standards, so that workers are not crushed, struck-by or injured by defective forklifts.

Multiple inspections during the last several years by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration have found that Central Transport has repeatedly left dangerously defective forklifts in service in at least 11 shipping terminals in nine states: Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. 

As a result, the department has filed a complaint with the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission seeking an order to require the freight shipper to remove damaged, defective and unsafe powered industrial trucks from service at all its locations nationwide.

"A systemic problem demands a systemic solution," said Dr. David Michaels, assistant secretary of labor for occupational safety and health. "Central Transport's corporate safety managers participated in several OSHA inspections and were aware of the widespread nature of these hazards, but have not corrected them across the board. This means that employees at many Central Transport terminals continue to be exposed to deadly or disabling injuries day after day. This must change."

The department's complaint alleges that Central Transport has been aware of the need to remove damaged, defective and unsafe forklifts from service since 2006. Several OSHA inspections resulted in 11 citations and final orders, which required Central Transport to remove damaged forklifts from service. However, OSHA inspections in 2014 of company freight terminals in Billerica, Massachusetts, and Rock Island and Hillside, Illinois, found that the company, despite its awareness of the hazards involved, knowingly allowed this dangerous practice to continue at multiple locations.

"When a company operates in multiple locations and workers face similar hazards at many, if not all, locations, their safety can't be addressed in a piecemeal fashion. Given the breadth and severity of the hazards these workers face, and Central Transport's failure to respond proactively, we are seeking an order requiring correction at all of the company's locations where these hazards exist," said Michael Felsen, the department's regional solicitor of labor in Boston, whose office filed the complaint.

Central Transport, based in Warren, Michigan, employs about 4,300 workers at 170 locations nationwide. It has 20 days from receipt of its complaint to file an answer with the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
Scott M. Miller of the department's Regional Office of the Solicitor in Boston is litigating the case.

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).

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to ensure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov/.

Frick Service Inc. exposes workers to electrical, respiratory hazards OSHA cites 32 serious health & safety violations at Portage, Indiana, storage facility

FEBRUARY 12, 2015

Employer name: Frick Service Inc., Portage, Indiana

Inspection site: 800 Sun Drive, Portage, Indiana

On Aug. 28, 2014, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Indianapolis Area Office initiated an inspection after receiving a formal complaint alleging unsafe working conditions. Frick Services Inc. provides industrial, agricultural and residential storage that is serviceable by water and rail to its clients.

Investigation findings: Ten serious violations were cited related to electrical safety. OSHA's investigation found employees were exposed to electrical hazards because equipment used in damp or wet conditions was not rated for such use, outdoor electrical equipment was not protected from accidental contact by vehicle traffic and flexible cords were used where permanent wiring should have been installed. 

Additionally, 20 serious health violations were cited for:

• Lack of a respiratory protection program, including failure to conduct medical evaluations of employees required to use respirators and provide annual fit testing of respirators.
• Exposing workers to struck-by and other hazards because the company failed to train employees on the safe operation of powered industrial vehicles.
• Lack of a written hazard communication program to train employees on the possible exposure to hazardous chemicals and other substances in the work place.
• Failure to develop an emergency action plan.
• Not properly maintaining equipment.

An OSHA violation is serious if death or serious physical harm can result from a hazard an employer knew or show have known exist.

Proposed Penalties: $74,200.

View citations: https://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/FrickServices_992691_992696_Feb_9_2015.pdf* 

Quote: "Finding such a broad range of safety and health violations is indicative of a corporate culture that does not emphasis safety and health in the workplace," said Vanessa Martin, OSHA's area director in Indianapolis. ". 

Electrical safety violations, lack of training and failing to maintain equipment pose serious risks to employee safety and health. Frick Services needs to reevaluate its safety and health program and implement common sense safety measures to prevent injury and illness in the workplace" 

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 Indianapolis Area Office at 317-226-7299.

Painter dies in cell tower fall due to inadequate protective equipment OSHA finds 2 willful, 1 serious safety violations at Stockton, Illinois, site

FEBRUARY 12, 2015

STOCKTON, ILLINOIS

A 49-year-old man plunged about nine stories to his death while painting a communication tower near Stockton, Illinois, because his employer, Sherwood Tower Service, did not provide an adequate fall protection system while he worked high above the ground. The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigated the Aug. 10, 2014 fatality, and cited two willful and one serious safety violation. 


OSHA has placed Sherwood Tower, which specializes in communication tower painting and maintenance, in its Severe Violator Enforcement Program*. In 2014, 12 people died in the United States at work in the communication towers industry; while 13 were killed in 2013. 

Many of these deaths involved falls.

"Three children are without a father because of a preventable tragedy. No one should have to endure such a painful loss ever. Inspecting and making sure protective equipment is in use and working properly is a common-sense safety procedure that saves lives and prevents injuries," said Jacob Scott, OSHA's area director in North Aurora. "Companies that ask their employees to work above the ground have a responsibility to provide adequate fall protection to workers. OSHA has seen a disturbing trend in preventable deaths and injuries in the telecommunications industry."


In addition to the lack of personal fall protection during tower climbing activities, OSHA inspectors found that the positioning device harness used by the fallen worker should have been replaced because it was heavily painted and showed visible signs of wear, damage and deterioration. The positioning equipment is intended to keep the employee on the tower during stationary work. These failures resulted in the issuance of two willful violations. 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. 


Sherwood Tower Service had no safety and health program, resulting in the issuance of a serious violation. 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. 


OSHA has proposed penalties of $114,800 for the company, based in Terre Haute, Indiana. James Michael Sherwood, who operates as Sherwood Tower Service, has five employees.


To view current citations, visit https://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/SherwoodTowerServices_989451_0206_15.pdf*

OSHA, the National Association of Tower Erectors and other industry stakeholders are collaborating to ensure that every communication tower employer understands their responsibility to protect workers performing this very dangerous work. OSHA has created a Web page targeting the issues surrounding communication tower work to help employees and employers better understand the risks of tower work and how to prevent injuries and fatalities in this industry.


Sherwood Tower Service has 15 business days from receipt of the citations to comply; request an informal conference with OSHA's area director in North Aurora, Illinois, 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 North Aurora Area Office at 630-896-8700.


Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to ensure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.

OSHA finds roofer's death and second man's serious injuries could have been prevented with fall protection. Roeder Construction ignores safety requirements at residential jobsite

FEBRUARY 12, 2015

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. – A 42-year-old worker fell 16 feet to his death and a 25-year-old co-worker suffered serious injuries after their employer, Roeder Construction, failed to provide either man with fall protection as they worked on a roof, an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has determined.


The two men were installing a heavy-duty, weatherproof tarpaulin on Sept. 15, 2014, on a residential home in Grand Island. OSHA's investigation found one employee lost his balance and started falling. The second man tried to stop his co-worker's fall, and the momentum carried both employees off the roof to the ground. As a result, one worker died of his injuries two days later, while the second was treated and released from a local hospital with torn ligaments and bruising. Both employees had been with the company for a little more than a month, but had previous roofing-industry experience.


Fatal falls, slips or trips took the lives of 699 workers in 2013 and are the leading cause of death in the construction industry. About one-half of the 1.6 million American construction employees work in residential construction.

"This tragedy illustrates how quickly a worker can be fatally injured without fall protection and why OSHA requires it," said Bonita Winingham, OSHA's area director in Omaha. "When working at heights, everyone needs to plan ahead to get the job done safely. Each year, hundreds of workers die needlessly and the families suffer as a result of falls like this one. OSHA is committed to reducing these deaths."


OSHA found that Roeder committed two serious and one other-than-serious safety violation. The company did not provide fall protection and train employees in its use, resulting in the issuance of two serious violations. An OSHA violation is serious 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.


An additional violation was cited for failing to report the workplace fatality within eight hours. OSHA has proposed penalties of $7,600. 

OSHA maintains a Web page with detailed information in English and Spanish on fall protection standards. The page offers fact sheets, posters and videos that vividly illustrate various fall hazards and appropriate preventive measures. OSHA standards require that an effective form of fall protection be in use when workers perform construction activities 6 feet or more above the next lower level. 


OSHA's ongoing Fall Prevention Campaign provides employers with lifesaving information and educational materials on how to create a plan to prevent falls, provide the right equipment for workers and train employees to use that equipment properly. The campaign launched in 2012. It was developed in partnership with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and NIOSH's National Occupational Research Agenda program. Based in Kearney, Roeder Construction has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal 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 Omaha Area Office at 402-553-0171.


Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to ensure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.

OSHA and NIOSH issue hazard alert on protecting workers from silica exposure during countertop manufacture and installation

FEBRUARY 18, 2015

Contact: Office of Communications

Phone: 202-693-1999

OSHA and NIOSH issue hazard alert on protecting workers from silica exposure during countertop manufacture and installation

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health today jointly issued a hazard alert about protecting workers from significant crystalline silica exposure during manufacturing, finishing, and installing natural and manufactured stone countertops.


The hazard alert follows reports of 46 workers in Spain and 25 workers in Israel who developed silicosis - an incurable, progressively disabling and sometimes fatal lung disease - as a result of exposure to crystalline silica in their work manufacturing stone countertops. 

Ten of the workers in Israel required lung transplants as a result of their condition. OSHA and NIOSH have identified exposure to silica as a health hazard to workers involved in stone countertop operations in the United States, both in fabrication shops and during in-home finishing/installation. The alert jointly issued by OSHA and NIOSH explains how this hazard can be mitigated with simple and effective dust controls.


Crystalline silica is found in granite, sandstone, quartzite, various other rocks and sand. Workers who inhale very small crystalline silica particles are at risk for silicosis. Symptoms of silicosis can include shortness of breath, cough and fatigue, and may or may not be obviously attributable to silica. Workers exposed to airborne crystalline silica also are at increased risk for lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and kidney disease.


The hazard alert* details what can be done at stone countertop fabrication and installation worksites to protect workers from exposure to silica. This includes monitoring the air to determine silica exposure levels; using engineering controls and safe work practices to control dust exposure; and providing workers with respiratory protection when needed, training, and information about the hazards of silica.


For more information on silica hazards and how to prevent them, visit OSHA's Web page on crystalline silica. 


Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to ensure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit www.osha.gov.

Milling facility exposed workers to explosion and electrical hazards. OSHA fines Richardson Milling Inc. in Dawn, Texas, $63,000

Feb. 18, 2015

Employer Name: Richardson Milling Inc. 


Location: Dawn, Texas


Date Inspection Initiated and What Prompted the Inspection: The inspection, initiated in October as part of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Regional Emphasis Program for industries engaged in grain handling activities, has resulted in the issuance of 11 serious violations. 


Investigation Findings: The investigation by OSHA's Lubbock Area Office resulted in citations for failing to:

• use approved electrical equipment in areas with dangerous levels of combustible dust;
• remove an unapproved forklift truck whose exposed conductor cables could potentially ignite combustible dust;
• secure compressed gas cylinders to prevent them from being knocked over; and
• properly guard belts and pulleys to prevent amputations.

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.

Proposed Penalties: $63,000


Quote: "Allowing grain milling dust to accumulate near equipment that could start an explosion is a recipe for disaster," said Elizabeth Linda Routh, OSHA's area director in Lubbock. "Richardson Milling exposed its workers to preventable dangers."


Information: Richardson Milling, a grain milling facility that produces flour blends, has 15 business days from receipt of its citations to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA's area director, or contest the citations and penalties 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 Lubbock District Office at 806-472-7681.

Stand Tall, Stand Proud and Stand-Down for Fall Safety! OSHA will host second-annual Construction Fall Safety Stand-Down, May 4-15, 2015

FEBRUARY 18, 2015

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Every day in this country, construction workers fall. One wrong step and they're tumbling down a steeply pitched roof, sliding or dropping off an unstable ladder, or left hanging from a scaffold. The difference between an unexpected stumble and tragedy is simple: fall protection. 

Falls are the leading cause of death in the construction industry, as hundreds of workers die each year and thousands more suffer catastrophic, debilitating injuries. Yet, lack of proper fall protection remains the most frequently cited violation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration. 

To recognize this often fatal hazard, tens of thousands of employers and more than a million workers across the country joined OSHA in 2014 for a weeklong Fall Safety Stand-Down, the largest occupational safety event ever held. OSHA hopes to triple these numbers during this year's Fall Safety Stand-Down from May 4-15, 2015. 

"With the economy on the rebound and housing starts on the rise, now is the time to for all of us to renew our commitment to sending workers home safe every night," said Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez. "Last year's Stand-Down showed us what employers and workers sharing that commitment can accomplish. Responsible employers understand that safety is not a luxury - it is a necessity."

Building on last year's widespread participation, OSHA has made this year's Stand-Down, a two-week event. From May 4-15, employers and workers will pause during their workday for topic talks, demonstrations and training on how to use safety harnesses, guard rails and other means to protect workers from falls. Underscoring the importance of this effort, industry and business leaders, including universities, labor organizations, and community and faith-based groups, have already begun scheduling 2015 stand-downs in all 50 states and around the world.

"Fatal falls and injuries impact workers in all kinds of jobs across the country; it's a broad problem that takes a terrible toll on workers and their families," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Dr. David Michaels. "Given the tremendous response we've received, it's clear that this is an important issue to a great number of people across this nation. I know it is, to me and all my colleagues here at the department, which is why we are so pleased to work towards preventing these tragedies through innovative and collaborative efforts like the Stand-Down." 

The National Fall Safety Stand-Down is part of OSHA's fall prevention campaign, launched three years ago with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, NIOSH's National Occupational Research Agenda and The Center for Construction Research and Training. Additional partners for this year's event include: American Society for Safety Engineers, National Safety Council, National Construction Safety Executives, the United States Air Force, OSHA-approved state plans, state consultation programs, and OSHA Training Institute Education Centers. 

"No child should lose a parent, no wife should lose a husband and no worker should lose their life in a preventable fall," said NIOSH Director Dr. John Howard. "The Stand-Down serves as an important opportunity for worksites to recognize the hazards that cause them, train employers and workers how to avoid them so that these senseless tragedies can be prevented once and for all." 

OSHA and partners would like to encourage all workers and employers that face fall hazards on the job to participate in this year's Stand-Down. The newly launched National Safety Stand-Down 2015 Web site provides details on: how to conduct a Stand-Down; receive a certificate of participation; and access free education and training resources, fact sheets and other outreach materials in English and Spanish. It will also include a list of stand-down events free and open to the public, as soon as they become available. 

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to ensure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance.

Workers exposed to cave-in hazards at excavation site. OSHA proposes $89K penalty for violations by Angel Brothers Enterprises Ltd. in Baytown, Texas

Feb. 19, 2015

Employer Name: Angel Brothers Enterprises Ltd. 

Inspection Site: Baytown, Texas 

Date Inspection Initiated and What Prompted the Inspection: The complaint-driven investigation began August 2014 as part of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's National Emphasis Program on Trenching and Excavation. 


Investigation Findings: The employer was cited for three serious violations and one willful violation for not protecting workers, who were replacing an old fire hydrant and water line, from being engulfed in an unprotected 9-foot deep excavation. 


A willful violation, with a penalty of $70,000, was cited for not providing workers in a 9-foot deep excavation with cave-in protection such as a trench box or shoring. 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.


The serious violations, with a penalty of $19,500, include:

• place and keep excavated or other materials or equipment at least 2 feet from the edge of excavations;
• remove accumulated water from inside the trench which weakens its stability; and
• permanently affix durable identification to alloy steel chain slings for lifting capacity and size.

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.


Proposed Penalties: $89,500


View the Citation: https://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/AngelBrothersEnterprisesLtd_992106_0219_15.pdf*


Quote: "It takes a matter of seconds for a worker to be engulfed in a trench or excavation site that is not properly protected or sloped. Angel Brothers has a history of failing to protect their employees," said Mark Briggs, OSHA's Houston South office area director. "Company managers were aware of the numerous trenching hazards in advance and yet failed to take action to protect their workers."


Information: Angel Brothers Enterprises, which provides various types of underground utility construction, has 15 business days from receipt of its citations to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA's area director, or contest the citations and penalties 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), the agency's Houston South office at 281-286-0583 or its Houston North office at 281-591-2438.

Inspection finds Basic Marine again exposes workers to dangerous hazards. Escanaba, Michigan, shipyard receives $243K in fines, 18 safety violations

FEBRUARY 19, 2015

ESCANABA, MICHIGAN

Once again, workers were exposed to dangerous amputation hazards* while operating press brakes, which cut large metal pieces weighing up to 450 tons, because safety mechanisms were not in place at Basic Marine Inc. In the past six years, U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspectors have found similar hazards three times at the Escanaba-based shipyard and boat fabricating facility where a worker's arm was amputated in 2008. 


An August 2014 follow-up inspection at Basic Marine produced penalties of $242,940 for five repeated, three willful and 10 serious safety violations, including fall and respiratory hazards. The company has also been placed in the agency's Severe Violator Enforcement Program. 


"Basic Marine continues to maintain an environment where employees are blamed if they're injured by dangerous machinery, and it fosters a culture where safety precautions are considered unnecessary," said Larry Johnson, area director of OSHA's Lansing Area Office. "Even when workers are harmed, the company is reluctant to re-evaluate its safety and health programs, and that's wholly unacceptable."


Three willful violations were assessed as workers were exposed to struck-by hazards, machine hazards and falls and trips from unguarded manholes and unprotected edges. In 2013, fatal falls, slips or trips took the lives of 699 workers, with falls to a lower level accounting for 574 of those fatalities. Fall and machine hazards are the most frequently cited OSHA standards. 


A willful violation is one committed with intentional, knowing or voluntary disregard for the law's requirement, or with plain indifference to employee safety and health. 


OSHA also found repeated violations of respiratory protection standards, such as not requiring employees to wear air-line respirators. Crane slings were not inspected every three months, and inspection records were not maintained, as required. OSHA issues repeated violations if an employer was previously 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 five years. Basic Marine was cited for these hazards in 2011.


In addition, Basic Marine exposed workers to dangerous operating machine parts because it allowed the machines to be used with inadequate protective devices. The company also failed to provide specific written procedures and training for employees on how to prevent unintentional operation of machinery during service and maintenance, such as applying locking devices and turning equipment off. OSHA inspectors also noted unmarked exit signs and the company's failure to post fire watches during welding activities. A total of 10 serious violations were issued.


An OSHA violation is serious if death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard an employer knew or should have known exists. 


View the current citations at http://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/BasicMarineInc_991438_0212_15.pdf*.


Basic Marine has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal 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 Lansing Area Office at 517-487-4996.


Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to ensure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.

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Jacksonville, Florida-based roofing company continues to expose workers to dangerous falls; OSHA proposes nearly $80K in penalties

Feb. 19, 2015

Employer name: Transformers Construction Services Inc., Jacksonville, Florida, was subcontracted by A&G Construction Group Inc.


Inspection site: 153 Forest Edge Drive, St. Johns, Florida 32259


Date inspection initiated: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration initiated the inspection on Oct. 1, 2014, as part of the agency's Regional Emphasis Program on Falls in Construction. 


Inspection findings: OSHA issued one willful citation for allowing employees to conduct roofing work at heights up to 16 feet without fall protection. The company has previously been cited for similar fall protection violations. Two serious violations were cited for failing to properly brace roof trusses so they wouldn't collapse; and not providing a ladder or stairs to access the upper level of the roof structure. 


Quote: "Transformers Construction is aware workers need to be protected from dangerous falls, but deliberately allows employees to work one slip away from death," said Brian Sturtecky, OSHA's area director in Jacksonville. "Home builders and general contractors that continue to hire and turn a blind eye to their sub-contractor's poor safety record is an unacceptable work practice." 


Proposed penalties: $79,900


A copy of the citations are attached.

• View the citations*

Transformers Construction has 15 business days from receipt of its 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 Jacksonville Area Office at 904-232-2895