Alabama Wood Company Cited for Electrical, LOTO Hazards
OSHA is citing the company with 16 serious violations, including failing to use lockout/tagout procedures for energy sources and provide railings for unguarded open-sided floors.
OSHA has cited Smith Family Cos. Inc. of Pelham, Ala., with 17 safety violations for exposing workers to a variety of hazards, with proposed penalties of $51,100. The inspection was triggered as part of OSHA's site-specific targeting program for industries with high occupational injury and illness rates. Smith Family Cos. Inc. is primarily engaged in cutting plywood to customer specifications.
"Targeting industries with higher-than-average injury and illness rates is an efficient use of OSHA's resources and allows the agency to focus on industries where workers are most at risk," said Roberto Sanchez, OSHA's area director in Birmingham. "A number of electrical hazards were found at Smith Family Cos. that exposed workers to electrical shocks and burns. It is unacceptable to expose workers to these kinds of hazardous working conditions."
OSHA is citing the company with 16 serious violations, including failing to use lockout/tagout procedures for energy sources; provide railings for unguarded open-sided floors; mark permanent aisles or passageways where mechanical equipment was used; ensure tiers of wood were stacked, blocked, interlocked, or limited in height so that they were stable and secure against sliding or collapse; provide emergency stop bars in red on hazardous machines; provide machine guarding; and provide appropriate splicing of electrical cords servicing equipment and ground prongs for extension cords.
The company is also being cited with one other-than-serious violation for an exit that was not clearly visible and marked.
OSHA's site-specific targeting program is the agency's main programmed inspection plan for non-construction workplaces that have 40 or more employees. The SST plan is based on the data received from the prior year's OSHA Data Initiative survey.