OSHA Cites Baton Rouge Firm for Recordkeeping

AKM LLC, doing business as Volks Constructors, was cited for the alleged violations following an OSHA inspection that began May 10 as part of a national emphasis program aimed at preventing work-related amputations. Volks Constructors employs approximately 350 workers.

"Worker injury and illness records are vital for identifying injury trends," said Greg Honaker, OSHA's area director in Baton Rouge.

OSHA issued 16 serious citations for the following alleged violations:

• Potential atmospheric hazards in confined spaces;
• Lack of energy control procedures to protect against electrical and amputation hazards;
• No eyewash station available while working with corrosives; and
• No machine guarding to protect against amputation hazards and a lack of guarding for chains, sprockets, belts and pulleys.

The agency issued 17 other-than-serious citations for the following alleged violations:

• Failing to complete OSHA 301 Logs used for a first report of injury;
• Failing to record 102 injuries and illness on the OSHA 300 Logs;
• Company executives certifying OSHA 300 Logs that were neither correct nor complete; and
• Failing to provide the OSHA 300 and 301 Logs upon request.

Additional alleged violations, according to OSHA, included lack of rating capacity for alloy steel chains/synthetic web slings, restricted work space in front of electrical equipment, use of hazardous chemicals from unmarked containers and lack of material safety data sheets for hazardous chemicals.