A New Castle, Pennsylvania company is facing 27 workplace safety and health violations after the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration initiated an inspection after a complaint. The penalties could cost nearly $60,000.
The serious violations include fall, electrical and 'struck-by' hazards, which can result in serious and life-altering injuries, as well as improper locations of equipment, improperly maintained eyewash and shower facilities, and crane deficiencies. OSHA determines a violation to be 'serious' if there is a substantial chance that serious injury of death would result from a hazard which the employer would know about.
OSHA cited the company for one repeat violation: the failure to remove defective or unsafe industrial trucks, which the company had been cited for in 2008. There was one 'other-than-serious' violation involving unsanitary meal and eating areas, which though it has a direct relation to job safety and the health of the worker, would not be likely to result in death or serious injury.
Serious violations, like the ones in this investigation, represent negligence on the part of the employer, as they would have known the violations could result in serious injury or death for the worker. This disregard for the health and safety of the workers can have serious consequences aside from OSHA fines -- the workers could have suffered grave and life-altering injuries. When these injuries occur, many people do not know where to turn or what legal course they can pursue. An attorney experienced in employment law can present options that workers can pursue to receive workers' compensation, personal injury claims or other financial benefits.
Source: OSHA, "US Department of Labor's OSHA proposes $58,000 in fines to New Castle, Pa., recycling company for 27 workplace safety, health hazards," Nov. 1, 2012
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