The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited a manufacturer in Ohio after the workers there were exposed to hazards despite falls and machine hazards that had been previously identified by the OSHA. According to news from Jan. 17, 2017, the business, SanCasT Inc., has been issued three repeated and four serious safety violations. Together, these violations resulted in proposed penalties of $235,879.
The same company was cited for similar violations in 2013 and 2014. The area director of the Columbus OSHA stated that when companies repeatedly fail inspections for the same violations, it shows a direct lack of concern for employee safety. Facilities like this manufacturing facility need to look at their machine operations, safety training and guarding training to help protect the employees from hazards in the workplace.
The OSHA found that the company had failed to implement lockout procedures, exposed workers to electrical contacts that were live, didn’t install machine guards and exposed workers to fall hazards due to a lack of a top guardrail and holes in the floor.
When an employer fails to make a facility safe for employees, employees have the right to refuse to work as long as they can show that the employer could not offer them safe work or would not take steps to make the work environment safe. You have rights, and you should never be put in harm’s way due to negligence. If you’re hurt, you should be able to receive workers’ compensation for your injuries and to help cover the expense of being off work for a significant amount of time.
Source: Norwalk Reflector, “OSHA cites manufacturer after inspection finds workers remain exposed to hazards at Ohio plant,” Jan. 18, 2017
