Ohio Glass Company Cited for Safety, Health Violations

The U.S. Labor Department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has proposed $121,000 in fines against Lancaster Glass Corporation, Columbus, Ohio, for 36 alleged serious violations of federal workplace safety and health standards.

OSHA opened an inspection in June at the glass component manufacturer as part of its site specific targeting initiative. The inspection revealed violations, classified as serious, of regulations dealing with guard rails for open-sided floors, platforms and runways; proper construction of fixed ladders; appropriate personal protective equipment; adequate machine guarding; electrical and welding hazards; grinding wheel safety, and storage of welding cylinders.

“Any one of these violations has the potential to cause serious harm, perhaps even death, to workers,” said OSHA Area Director Deborah Zubaty. “Finding hazards and insisting they be corrected are among the best services we can perform for working men and women.”

Lancaster Glass Corporation has been inspected 14 times since 1986, resulting in 62 serious and six other-than-serious violations prior to 2005. In January of this year, the company was cited for overexposures to lead and other potential dangers to employees’ health.

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