New York Food Packager Faces Serious OSHA Penalty Charges for Willfully Failing to Follow Regulations
OSHA cites Arbre Group Holding, or Holli-Pac Inc., for consciously exposing employees to multiple health and safety hazards.
Holli-Pac Inc., A New York facility that packages fruits and vegetable packager, has violated numerous safety regulations, exposing its employees to amputation, chemical, operational injury, and laceration hazards. Penalties total to $200,791.
After an OSHA inspection, the group reportedly failed to properly protect its employees from an ill-maintained package-filler machine. Parts of the machine did not have doors to prevent employee contact with operating parts, and the access door on another part lacked an interlock mechanism. Furthermore, the company had inadequate lockout/tagout procedures, did not train employees on hazardous chemicals in the workplace, did not obtain annual audiograms for employees exposed to excessive noise levels, require employees to ear appropriate eye and face protection, or repair damaged electrical equipment.
OSHA conducted the inspections under the Site-Specific Targeting Program, which directs enforcement resources to workplaces where very high rates of injuries and illnesses have occurred. The company has fifteen business days from receipt of citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before an Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
Maintaining a safe workplace is about preventing injury by regularly conducting analyses and fixing hazards before something bad occurs. OSHA’s website has some great tips on how to promote and maintain safety in the workplace.