Door and Window Manufacturer Fined by OSHA

March 24, 2006
OSHA has fined Wisconsin-based Weather Shield Manufacturing Inc. $114,000 in proposed penalties for eight alleged violations that lead to a workplace fatality.

OSHA opened an inspection in September 2005 after a stack of lumber that fell at the company's South Plant worksite and crushed a forklift operator.

The agency issued one willful citation with proposed penalties of $70,000 against Weather Shield for lumber bundles that OSHA says were not properly stacked, secured and spaced to prevent them from falling.

OSHA also issued one repeat citation with a proposed penalty of $25,000 for an alleged lack of proper machine guarding. The employer allegedly failed to provide adequate machine guarding to prevent workers from contacting the blade of a knee-actuated saw. The firm was cited for a violation of the same standard in November 2003.

Additional penalties totaling $19,000 were issued for six serious citations, four of which dealt with unguarded machines, one with inadequate forklift training and the last with a narrow exit access.

Weather Shield Manufacturing manufactures wood, vinyl and steel insulated doors and windows. OSHA has inspected the company 11 times since 1989, and nine inspections resulted in citations.

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