Repeat, Health Violations Add Up to $95,240 in Fines for Georgia Manufacturer
Three violations are health-related, including failing to provide a hearing conservation program, exposing workers to airborne styrene that exceeded the permissible exposure limit, and not providing suitable protective clothing and gloves for employees whose skin was exposed to styrene-containing resin.
Carolina Skiff LLC has been cited for 19 safety and health violations by OSHA. The citations, carrying fines of $95,240, were issued after OSHA conducted a follow-up inspection to evaluate the abatement of violations found during a 2008 site-specific targeting program inspection. The program focuses on industries with high injury and illness rates.
OSHA has issued the company, which manufactures fiberglass boats, six repeat citations with $45,740 in fines. Four violations are safety-related, including using compressed air and unapproved electrical equipment in areas where the dust concentrations are high enough to lead to a fire or deflagration hazard; failing to clean up dust accumulations; and a lack of exit signage resulting in emergency escape hazards. Two violations are health-related, including failing to train welders regarding hexavalent chromium hazards and not implementing engineering controls to reduce high noise levels. A repeat violation exists when an employer previously has been cited for the same or a similar violation of a standard, regulation, rule or order at any other facility in federal enforcement states within the last five years.
The agency has also issued Carolina Skiff 10 serious citations with $48,510 in fines. Some of the safety-related violations include exposing employees to fall hazards; improperly storing and transferring flammable liquids used during spray painting operations; using compressed air greater than 30 pounds per square inch for cleaning; and an improperly installed electrical service system resulting in an electrical hazard. Three violations are health-related, including failing to provide a hearing conservation program, exposing workers to airborne styrene that exceeded the permissible exposure limit, and not providing suitable protective clothing and gloves for employees whose skin was exposed to styrene-containing resin.
"Carolina Skiff continues to leave its employees at risk of serious injury or illness by failing to implement the proper safety and health protections," said Robert Vazzi, OSHA's area director in Savannah, Ga.
The company also received three other-than-serious health citations with $990 in proposed penalties for not posting OSHA’s noise standard in the workplace, failing to ensure respirator face pieces had adequate seals, and not conducting additional air samples for hexavalent chromium when stainless steel production increased.