Temporary Workers Exposed to Amputation Dangers at Woodworking Manufacturer
OSHA has issued 18 serious violations to Terrill Manufacturing Co. of San Angelo, Texas, and two to A.L. Staffing Inc., which provided the workers.
OSHA announced it has cited Terrill Manufacturing Company for 18 serious violations after several complaints prompted an inspection in January 2016 at a work site in San Angelo, Texas. Some of the violations the agency found included failing to establish a respiratory protection program, not establishing lockout/tagout procedures, failing to lock out and isolate energy sources, not evaluating powered industrial truck operators, failing to prevent automatic restarts of woodworking machines, not furnishing ripsaws with a spreader, and not providing hazard communication training to employees working with hazardous chemicals.
The company, a woodworking manufacturer, contracted with A.L. Staffing Inc., d/b/a Spherion Staffing, to provide temporary workers. OSHA has also cited A.L. Staffing for two serious violations: allowing workers to operate machine rollers without machine guards and allowing workers to operate machines without guards to prevent contact with chains and sprockets.
The agency issued $58,800 in proposed fines to Terrill Manufacturing Company and $4,800 to A.L. Staffing.
"Industrial machines are very unforgiving and can cause permanent disfigurement if employers fail to cover the moving parts, guard the points of operation, and control the energy sources when servicing or repairing the equipment," said R. Casey Perkins, OSHA's Area Director in Austin. "This inspection should serve as a warning to Terrill Manufacturing and A.L. Staffing that they both need to correct these violations before an employee is critically injured."