OSHA Levies Heavy Penalties on NOX US After Continued Safety Failures

OSHA Levies Heavy Penalties on NOX US After Continued Safety Failures

The company faces $545,853 in new penalties.

  • By Robert Yaniz Jr.
  • Aug 28, 2023

NOX US LLC—the Ohio-based vinyl tile manufacturing arm of South Korea's NOX Corp.—is once again under scrutiny by OSHA for recurrent safety violations.

In a release dated August 24, OSHA revealed that recent investigations into NOX US's Fostoria, Ohio, plant resulted in the identification of a total of ten violations and $545,853 in proposed penalties. These include the lack of necessary safety guards on machinery, which led to a 56-year-old machine operator suffering a finger amputation in February 2023. Other violations include deficiencies in lockout and tagout procedures and insufficient worker training.

This is not the first brush with OSHA for NOX US. In October 2022, OSHA flagged similar safety failures at the same plant and proposed penalties totaling $1.2 million, a matter NOX US is currently contesting. Since 2017, 14 workers have experienced injuries, with many instances of severe amputations at the Fostoria facility. This consistent breach of safety norms led OSHA to place the plant under its Severe Violator Enforcement Program that same year.

"Despite repeated citations and penalties, the company continues to expose employees to dangerous hazards and allows them to operate unguarded machines," OSHA Regional Administrator Bill Donovan in Chicago said in a statement. "NOX US is failing to meet their legal responsibility to provide employees with a safe and healthy work environment, and they must change the way it operates before another employee is needlessly injured."

Founded by NOX Corp. in November 2015, the Fostoria plant currently employs about 200 people and is a significant contributor to the company's global vinyl flooring production, serving customers across over 50 countries.

NOX US now has 15 business days to comply, seek an informal discussion with OSHA, or challenge the agency’s findings.

About the Author

Robert Yaniz Jr. is the Content Editor of Occupational Health & Safety.

Product Showcase

  • Glove Guard® Clip

    Safety should never be compromised, especially when it comes to proper glove usage. The Glove Guard® clip enhances safety by encouraging employees to keep their gloves with them at all times. This reduces the risk of accidents and injuries on the job. By ensuring everyone has their gloves readily available, we help promote a culture of safety and efficiency. The Glove Guard® clip is designed to withstand the toughest work environments. Constructed from robust materials made in the USA, it can endure extreme conditions, including harsh weather, and rigorous activities. 3

  • Safety Shower Test Cart

    The Safety Shower Test Cart speeds up and simplifies emergency shower tests, ensures you stay in compliance with OSHA regulations, and significantly reduces testing costs. With 7 unique features, the cart makes testing easy, effective, and efficient. You can test water clarity, flow, temperature, and spread—all at the same time! Most safety shower testing kits create a mess, take too much time to use, and don't fully help you stay in compliance with OSHA & ANSI standards. Transform the way you test emergency showers with Green Gobbler Safety. 3

  • NoiseCHEK Personal Noise Dosimeter

    SKC NoiseCHEK is the easiest-to-use dosimeter available! Designed specifically for OEHS professionals, SKC NoiseCHEK offers the easiest operation and accurate noise measurements. Everything you need is right in your palm. Pair Bluetooth models to your mobile devices and monitor workers remotely with the SmartWave dB app without interrupting workflow. Careful design features like a locking windscreen, sturdy clip, large front-lit display, bright status LEDs, and more make NoiseCHEK the top choice in noise dosimeters. Demo NoiseCHEK at AIHA Connect Booth 1003. 3

Featured

Most   Popular