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OSHA cited Bangor & Aroostook Railroad for 48 alleged serious, repeat and other than serious violations at its Derby, Maine, maintenance facility.
The agency has proposed penalties against the railroad totaling $133,000.
According to OSHA, the violations were discovered during an inspection initiated on July 11, 2000, in response to a formal complaint from employees at the facility and encompasses a cross-section of safety hazards involving exposed live electrical parts, failure to deenergize an electrical circuit before performing maintenance, unguarded moving machine parts, defects involving a crane, unsafe welding practices, lack of fall protection and inadequate fire safeguards.
"Left uncorrected, the cited conditions expose these workers to the dangers of fire, explosions, electrocution, falls, slips, trips, being struck by falling materials or by moving cranes and forklifts, as well as being injured by or caught in moving machine parts," said C. William Freeman, OSHA area director for Maine. "There is nothing exotic or arcane about these hazards. They can and should be addressed by employer adherence to basic, commonsense and legally required safeguards."
The Bangor & Arookstook Railroad is headquartered in Northern Maine Junction, Maine. About 45 workers are employed at the Derby maintenance facility.
The company has 15 working days from receipt of the citations to either comply or contest them.
by Virginia Sutcliffe