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Dowa THT America Faces More than $1 Million in OSHA Fines

March 27, 2019
Metal heat treatment company under fire for exposing employees to numerous hazards.

Dowa THT America Inc. is now a member of OSHA's Severe Violator Enforcement Program after an agency investigation.

The Bowling Green, Ohio-based heat treatment business is facing a total of $1.3 million in penalties for 25 health and safety violations.

“The violations identified exposed employees to serious, and potentially life-threatening injuries and illnesses,” said Loren Sweatt, acting assistant secretary of labor. “Employers have a legal obligation to assess their workplaces for hazards, and establish appropriate safety and health programs to protect their workers.”

An OSHA investigation discovered workers were exposed to numerous atmospheric, thermal, electrical, and mechanical hazards as they performed maintenance inside heat-treating furnaces.

The 25  willful, serious, and other-than-serious violations for hazards were related to confined spaces, falls, machine guarding, respiratory protection, chemical exposures and electrical equipment. Dowa THT America also failed to provide adequate personal protective equipment and did not train their workers on hazards in the facility.

The company has 15 business days from receipt of the citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

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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