Yesterday’s Advisor discussed real-world case studies to show just how much a lack of safety training can cost employers. Today, we go over three more of those instances—so ensure your training programs are in order!
Manufacturer Cited After Press Crushes Worker’s Finger
Who was fined: Steel parts manufacturer
Where it happened: Illinois—OSHA Region 5
Serious violations: After just 10 days on the job, a temporary worker’s right ring finger was crushed by a 25-ton power press when the machine she operated cycled through while her hand was inside. The incident occurred when light curtains that act as machine guards failed to work properly. An OSHA inspection resulted in 14 serious violations for the employer, many of which involved exposing workers to machinery operating parts. The inspection also found numerous electrical hazards, and that workers lacked proper training in the operation of powered industrial vehicles.
Penalty: $61,695 fine
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Construction Workers Exposed to Falls
Who was fined: Construction company; staffing agency (A key takeaway: make sure you and any partner organizations are on the same page when it comes to safety training.)
Where it happened: Texas—OSHA Region 6
Repeat and serious violations: An OSHA inspection led to citations for a construction company and a staffing agency that supplied workers to the construction company’s jobsite. The violations for the construction company included exposing workers to struck-by hazards, using a kinked wire rope to lift a load, failing to protect wire ropes from damage, and exposing employees to impalement hazards. The repeat violation was for failing to protect employees and six temporary workers from fall hazards. The staffing agency received 2 serious citations for exposing workers to fall and impalement hazards at the jobsite.
Penalty: $65,000 fine to the construction company; $9,000 fine to the staffing agency
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Welders and Grinders Face Toxic Metal, Noise Hazards
Who was fined: Storage tank manufacturer
Where it happened: Missouri—OSHA Region 7
Serious violations: An inspection opened under OSHA’s National Emphasis Program for Hexavalent Chromium led to 12 serious citations for a storage tank manufacturer. Agency inspectors found one employee of the company exposed to hexavalent chromium at levels exceeding the permissible exposure limit while welding and grinding steel containing chromium. Inspectors also found the company failed to implement engineering controls to reduce and monitor exposure levels among workers, and did not conduct additional monitoring after expanding the production process in 2006, 2008, and 2014. The inspection also identified three workers exposed to noise levels in excess of the action level for an 8-hour shift. The company was also cited for violations of OSHA’s respiratory protection standard and improperly adjusted rests on a grinder, which could expose workers to operating parts of machinery.
Penalty: $74,000 fine