Penny Curtiss Baking Co. Inc., which makes bread and other bakery products, was cited for a total of 42 alleged serious safety and health hazards at its Syracuse production plant following an OSHA inspection begun in July in response to an employee complaint.
OSHA's inspection found the following alleged violations:
- Blocked exit routes;
- Deficiencies in the facility's emergency response plan;
- Fall and tripping hazards;
- Lack of procedures, training and equipment to lock out the power sources of machines before performing maintenance;
- Unguarded moving machine parts;
- Unsafe operation of forklifts; and
- Numerous electrical hazards.
Also identified were alleged hazards associated with:
- Lack of personal protective equipment;
- Work in confined spaces;
- Welding;
- Chemical hazard communication and lack of an emergency eyewash station; and
- Unsecured gas cylinders.
In addition to that, the bakery allegedly failed to provide medical exams and surveillance as well as respirator fit testing to members of the bakery's hazardous materials response team and failed to provide hearing tests for employees as well as retraining and refitting them with appropriate hearing protection.
Penny Curtiss Will Schedule Conference with OSHA
Marc Jampole, corporate spokesperson for Penny Curtiss and its parent company, Syracuse-based Penn Traffic Co., said Penny Curtiss has "cooperated fully with OSHA during its inspection" and plans to schedule an informal conference with the agency "regarding these alleged violations." The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and fines to request and participate in an informal conference with OSHA or to contest them before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
According to Jampole, Penn Traffic operates 108 supermarkets in Pennsylvania, central and upstate New York, Vermont and New Hampshire and supplies goods to 122 supermarkets. Penny Curtiss provides baked goods to Penn Traffic, Penn Traffic's wholesale customers and others.