OSHA Enforcement Roundup: Week of 4/6

The OSHA Enforcement Roundup gives you insight into how and why OSHA assesses penalties for workplace safe & health noncompliance. 

All violations or claims discussed below are alleged only unless we say otherwise, and we withhold the names of organizations and individuals to protect their privacy.

Georgia stone product manufacturers face monetary penalties for alleged workplace safety and health violations.

A follow-up OSHA inspection of two stone product manufacturers found that the employers failed to address safety violations related to silica exposure the department had identified in previous investigations.

The facility’s owner was cited for two repeat, seven serious, and three other-than-serious violations related to exposures to noise and respirable crystalline silica, including failure to develop a written respiratory protection program, a written exposure control plan for silica, and a written hazard communication program for hazardous materials.

OSHA also cited another company with eight repeat, four serious, and two other-than-serious violations for employees overexposed to noise and respirable crystalline silica. In addition, OSHA found the employer failed to implement a written exposure-control plan and a hazard communication program.

A Wisconsin beauty products manufacturer was cited for eighteen workplace safety and health violations and faces $275,694 in penalties.

OSHA investigators initiated an inspection into the company after a 55-gallon fiber drum containing nitrocellulose exploded and started a fire. The Agency determined the employer did not have a thorough new hire safety and health program in place and failed to provide newly hired employees with chemical and respiratory protection training, respirator fit testing, and medical evaluations.

OSHA cited the company for two repeat violations related to respiratory protection and hazard communication, and 10 serious violations related to:

• Hazard communication.
• Flammable liquids.
• Fire extinguisher training and inspections.
• Forklift training and inspections.
• Electrical hazards.

The employer also received six other-than-serious citations for recordkeeping violations, lack of powered industrial truck training, and unsafe material handling.

A Florida utility construction contractor faces $49,650 in proposed penalties for three alleged serious violations.

Investigators determined that, while replacing a utility pole, the pole contacted an energized overhead transmission line, fatally electrocuting a lineman and sending two other workers to the hospital.

The employer received citations for three serious violations for failures to:

• Ensure employees maintained the required minimum approach distance from exposed energized parts or have the transmission line deenergized.
• Assign a designated observer to monitor approach distances and provide warnings.
• Ensure the job briefing covered special precautions required when working under energized transmission lines.

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