OSHA has cited Vanguard Manufacturing Inc., a New Ipswich, N.H., maker of metal scaffolding, for alleged willful, serious and other-than-serious violations of the Occupational Safety and Health Act at its Temple Road plant and has proposed penalties against the company totaling $51,000.
According to David May, OSHA area director for New Hampshire, the alleged violations were discovered during inspections between March 3 and April 20 and involve a cross section of hazards associated with this type of manufacturing environment. These included the absence of programs to lock out the power sources for forklifts and band saws to prevent their accidental startup during maintenance, unguarded moving machine parts, employee overexposure to copper welding fumes, failure to ensure that employees wore eye protection where required, and several citations involving cranes and lifting slings.
"Cranes and slings that had not received the required frequent and periodic inspections and a defective sling had not been removed from service," May said of the willful violation and proposed $38,500 penalty. "Of particular concern were two cranes, one with a defective load rope, the other with a defective chain sprocket. The company''s own inspection of these cranes in January 1999 identified these defects; yet, they had still not been corrected when OSHA began its inspection in March of this year."
Other citations and proposed penalties encompass 11 alleged serious violations, with $40,250 in proposed penalties, and 14 alleged other-than-serious violations, with no cash penalties.
by Todd Nighswonger