A Connecticut-based manufacturer of electronic products faces up to $315,000 in fines from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for multiple workplace hazards found at its plant.
Wiremold Co. was cited for 40 alleged violations of health and safety standards, following inspections that began in early April in response to employee complaints.
"Plant workers were exposed to electrocution hazards when they worked on live electrical parts without first deenergizing them and locking out their circuits," said C. William Freeman III, OSHA's area director in Hartford, Conn. "This employer knows from previous OSHA inspections the magnitude of risk posed to workers by these practices."
OSHA's inspection also found that reportable instances of hearing loss among employees exposed to high noise levels were not recorded on the plant's OSHA logs, as required.
OSHA proposed $117,000 in fines for 15 repeat offenses, as well as $58,000 in fines for 23 new serious citations, which included unguarded or inadequately guarded mechanical power presses.
The Administration issues a serious citation when “death or serious physical harm is likely to result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.”
The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations to request and participate in an informal conference with the OSHA area director, or to contest the citations before the independent OSHA Review Commission.