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.
