The agency cited the aluminum foundry for machine guarding and other workplace safety hazards and issued fines of $104,000.
"Strong enforcement has been one of the keys to this administration's success in reducing workplace injuries and illnesses to record low levels," said U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao. "The significant penalty of $104,000 in this case demonstrates our commitment to protecting the health and safety of American workers."
The penalty and OSHA citations are based on an inspection initiated in December 2003 under the agency's targeted inspection program for workplaces with high injury or illness rates. OSHA also received a complaint involving the adjustment of electric production furnaces in the foundry.
As a result of that inspection, OSHA issued citations for 17 alleged serious violations and one alleged willful violation of federal workplace safety regulations. The willful citation was issued for failure to install guarding to protect workers from a sprocket wheel and chain, resulting in a willful citation. The 17 serious citations involved trip and fall hazards and energy control deficiencies, electrical hazards and protective equipment deficiencies, among others.
The company is no stranger to OSHA, having had 82 previous OSHA inspections dating back to 1974, resulting in some 315 citations, many of which identified various machine-guarding issues.
The company has 15 working days from receipt of the citations to appeal before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
