Amerway Cited Again for Overexposing Employees to Lead Hazards
The company was also cited for failing to provide respiratory protection.
OSHA announced it has cited Amerway Inc. in Altoona, Pa., for three repeat, four serious, and one other-than-serious violation after an inspection and issued a total of $49,000 in penalties in the case. The inspection was part of the agency's emphasis program for lead and primary metal industries.
Amerway, Inc. is an industrial soldering and metal brazing manufacturer. The repeat citations are for exposing workers to unsafe levels of lead, as well as respiratory protection failures.
Other citations are related to the company's failure to implement controls to reduce and maintain exposures to lead, institute a medical surveillance program, and provide a medical evaluation.
"Amerway still has not taken adequate steps to protect its workers from the debilitating medical conditions related to lead overexposure, which is inexcusable," said Christopher Robinson, director of the OSHA Pittsburgh Area Office. "The most effective way to minimize worker lead exposure is through engineering controls, medical surveillance, training, and the use of personal protective clothing and equipment such as respirators."