OSHA Fines Ga. Company for Safety Violations

Dec. 13, 2000
OSHA cited the Bull Moose Tube Company and proposed $68,900 in\r\npenalties for safety violations found during an inspection at the\r\ncompany's Trenton, Ga., facility.

OSHA cited the Bull Moose Tube Company and proposed $68,900 in penalties for safety violations found during an inspection at the company''s Trenton, Ga., facility.

The agency cited the Missouri-based company for four repeat violations with proposed penalties totaling $47,900.

Two of the repeat violations -- unguarded machinery and unenclosed chains and sprockets -- exposed workers to amputations and potentially fatal injuries.

The remaining two repeat citations dealt with improperly supported compressed gas cylinders and failure to ensure periodic inspection of the energy control procedure by an authorized employee.

According to Thomas Brown, OSHA''s Atlanta-West area director, "The company''s Chicago, Ill., steel pipe and tube manufacturing plant was cited for the same violations in 1998. OSHA has particular concerns when an employer has been cited for hazards and fails to take corrective action to protect workers at all its facilities."

The remaining $21,000 penalty was proposed for six serious violations: lack of guardrails around an 8-foot deep open pit; lack of stair rails on an open-sided stairway; lack of lockout/tagout procedures to render machinery inoperable during maintenance and repair; improperly guarded electrical equipment; improper use of compressed gas for cleaning purposes, and exposing workers to possible fire or explosion hazards by locating a gas tank in an area where it could be hit by moving vehicles.

The company, which employs about 2,000 workers nationwide and 57 at the Trenton location, has 15 working days to contest OSHA''s citations and proposed penalties.

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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