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The US Department of Labor has presented an Ohio-based vehicle parts manufacturer on its ‘severe violator enforcement programme’ with a fine of $480,240 (approx. £397,000) after inspectors found it had continually exposed workers to multiple machine hazards. The fine adds to previous penalties imposed on the company.
The US federal safety authority imposed the fine after Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) inspectors uncovered the machine hazards at General Aluminum Mfg’s Wapakoneta site, just 36 days after similar safety breaches were found at its Conneaut plant.
When OSHA began its inspection of the Wapakoneta plant on 8 February 2022, inspectors found that a band saw and quench tank lacked machine guarding, which increased the risk of amputation.
The investigation also discovered that the company had not trained workers that undertook service and maintenance tasks on lockout/tag out procedures. Inspectors had found the same safety breaches at the company’s Conneaut facility when inspections there began on 3 January this year.
The company, which is owned by Park Ohio Holdings Corp, in Cleveland and which produces engineered automotive castings, had been placed on OSHA’s ‘severe violator enforcement programme’ after one of its workers sustained fatal injuries at its Ravenna plant in March 2021.
After OSHA visited the Wapakoneta plant, it reported one repeat, two wilful and ten serious safety breaches for exposing employees to fall hazards while working on top of casting machines, burn hazards due to water accumulation around casting machines, and using improper personal protective equipment.
In addition, inspectors also found that workers had been exposed to electrical and arc flashes, confined space and powered industrial vehicle hazards.
‘General Aluminum’s continued failure to protect its workers is a prime example of why OSHA’s [programme] allows the agency to inspect any facility operated by a company cited for exposing workers to egregious hazards,’ said OSHA regional administrator William Donovan.
‘This company repeatedly ignored OSHA and third-party auditor’s recommendations to improve safety procedures and training, and immediately comply with industry and federal safety standards to demonstrate a commitment to protect workers.’
In June 2022, OSHA found eight safety breaches at General Aluminum Mfg’s Conneaut plant and imposed a $315,952 (approx. £261,200) fine.
In September 2021, OSHA had found 38 safety breaches during an investigation into a worker fatality at its Ravenna plant in March 2021. The company was handed fines totalling $1.67 million (approx. £1.38 million) but is contesting the fines.
According to OSHA, the company’s management signed formal settlement agreements to resolve issues relating to machine guarding and lockout/tag out breaches, which were found by inspectors during 2015 and 2017.
It hired a third-party consultant to undertake comprehensive machine guarding and lockout/tag out audits between 2017 and 2019. These identified specific machine guarding and lockout/tag out programme deficiencies and presented recommendations that the company failed to implement.
OSHA said that General Aluminum Mfg has 15 business days from receipt of its 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. It chose to contest the findings before the commission.
Rhonda Burke, deputy director of public affairs at the US Department of Labor, told IOSH Magazine that a date has yet to be set for the hearing.
