Molten Metal Hazards Carry $178,500 in Fines for Foundry
OSHA has cited Multi-Cast Corp. for 13 safety and health violations, including failing to ensure foundry employees wore fire-retardant clothing and protective equipment while working with molten metal.
OSHA has cited Multi-Cast Corp. in Wauseon, Ohio, for 13 safety and health violations, including failing to ensure foundry employees wore fire-retardant clothing and protective equipment while working with molten metal. The company, which manufactures aluminum sand castings, faces $178,500 in fines as a result of a November 2010 inspection.
"Employers have a responsibility to ensure employees have safe working environments, which includes taking all necessary precautions to protect them from hazards such as molten metal," said Jule Hovi, OSHA's area director in Toledo. "Multi-Cast is well aware of OSHA's safety and health regulations, but has irresponsibly ignored them and put its employees in harm's way."
Three willful violations, with proposed penalties of $147,000, include failing to ensure employees wore fire-retardant clothing and used face shields while working around molten metal, as well as ensure machine guarding was in place on a roll-over mold-making machine.
Four serious safety violations, with proposed fines of $17,500, are failing to ensure crane hooks were equipped with properly functioning safety latches, provide guards on stair railings, and provide adequate personal protective clothing and equipment.
Three serious health violations, with proposed fines of $11,900, involve failing to provide lead standard training, not having combustion safeguards installed on a natural gas furnace, and allowing an employee to work under a 2,500-pound sand mold.
Three other-than-serious record-keeping violations, with proposed penalties of $2,100, are failing to ensure the OSHA 300 form for workplace-related injuries and illnesses was completed in detail for the years 2008, 2009, and 2010.
This investigation falls under the requirements of OSHA's Severe Violators Enforcement Program.