Steel Plant Cited for Numerous Repeat SafetyViolations

Nov. 8, 2000
OSHA cited Bushwick Metals Inc., Bridgeport, Conn., steel\r\nprocessor, for alleged safety violations and has proposed penalties\r\ntotaling $109,000.

OSHA cited Bushwick Metals Inc., Bridgeport, Conn., steel processor, for alleged safety violations and has proposed penalties totaling $109,000.

According to OSHA, the alleged violations were discovered during an inspection initiated May 4, in response to an employee complaint and encompass a cross-section of manufacturing hazards, including several conditions which had been cited by OSHA in a 1998 inspection at the same location.

Bushwick Metals Inc. processes, warehouses and ships various steel products, including beams, bars, strips, sheets, plates, pipes and tubing. Approximately 95 employees work at the Bridgeport foundry.

"Cited conditions included unguarded portions of band saws and metal shears, electrical parts that were not guarded against accidental contact, steel stock protruding into aisles where employees could walk into it, employees failing to wear helmets in areas where they might be struck by falling objects, improper storage of oxygen and compressed gas cylinders, inadequate training of fork truck operators and an incomplete log of on-the-job injuries," said Clifford Weston, OSHA area director in Bridgeport.

Weston noted that the sizable penalty proposed in this case reflects the classification of eight of the citations as Repeat.

OSHA had previously inspected the plant in the fall of 1998 and subsequently issued citations for 26 Serious and four Other than Serious violations with fines totaling $23,100.

"Of special concern is the reoccurrence of several types of hazards that were identified and cited during the earlier inspection," said Weston. "This means that employees are once again exposed to such potential hazards as laceration, fractures, amputation, head injuries, electrocution and being injured by unexpectedly activated machinery, if these conditions are not corrected."

The company has 15 working days from receipt of the citations and proposed penalties to either elect to comply or contest them before the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

by Virginia Sutcliffe

About the Author

EHS Today Staff

EHS Today's editorial staff includes:

Dave Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief: During his career Dave has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeekEHS Today, Material Handling & LogisticsLogistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.

Adrienne Selko, Senior Editor: In addition to her roles with EHS Today and the Safety Leadership Conference, Adrienne is also a senior editor at IndustryWeek and has written about many topics, with her current focus on workforce development strategies. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics. Previously she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck?, which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list.

Nicole Stempak, Managing Editor:  Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.

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