OSHA Fines Ohio Auto Supplier for Safety Hazards

The U.S. Labor Department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued citations carrying $130,775 in proposed penalties against BBI Enterprises LP, Sidney, Ohio, for alleged violations of federal workplace safety and health standards.

OSHA’s citations alleged 11 serious and two repeat safety violations and seven serious and two repeat health violations. The company produces fiberglass insulation parts for the automotive industry.

OSHA opened a health inspection in November as part of the agency’s “Site Specific Targeting” program that directs inspections to work sites that have reported high injury and illness rates. Once on-site, inspectors expanded the inspection to include safety concerns.

Alleged safety violations include electrical hazards, unguarded machinery and moving parts and a lack of personal protective equipment for workers. Alleged health violations include a variety of personal protective equipment problems; a lack of medical evaluations; failure to lockout equipment or to provide the means to lockout equipment to render it inoperable during maintenance and repair; and lack of a written respiratory protection program, among others. Penalties for alleged safety violations totaled $84,000 and $46,775 for alleged health violations.

A serious citation is issued when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.

The company has 15 working days from receipt of the citations to appeal before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.