OSHA Inspections Can Get Costly; Manufacturer Hit With $1.7 Million In Proposed Penalties

While inspecting an injury at a furniture manufacturing plant in Wisconsin, OSHA expanded its inspection to the full facility and identified 12 alleged willful, 12 repeated, and 14 serious safety violations that carry a $1.76 million proposed penalty.  OSHA also placed the company in the Severe Violator Enforcement Program.  Specifically, OSHA cited the company for failing to take steps to protect workers from being injured by moving machine parts, failing to prevent machinery from unintentionally starting when workers were performing tooling and blade changes, and failing to provide adequate safety mechanisms to prevent contact with those moving parts.  The company also allegedly failed to train workers on safety procedures and hazards when servicing machinery and failed to provide adequate drenching facilities for workers exposed to corrosive materials.

OSHA’s Severe Violator Enforcement Program became effective on June 18, 2010 and is intended to focus enforcement efforts on recalcitrant employers in the field of workplace safety. Once the proposed OSHA citations become final orders, OSHA is now required to conduct a follow-up inspection of this company to address whether the cited violations were abated and also whether the employer continues to commit similar violations.