Ohio Foundry Faces $201K in Fines for Exposing Workers to Hazards

U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Elyria Foundry Co. LLC in Elyria, Ohio, with 29 alleged serious and three repeat safety and health violations after a worker sustained a crushing injury requiring a lower arm amputation. Proposed penalties total $201,500.

OSHA has cited the company with 25 serious and three repeat safety violations with $183,000 in proposed penalties.

Some of these violations address the company’s failure to provide adequate personal protective equipment to employees; failure to provide proper eye protection while working with a sulfur dioxide tank; a lack of emergency escape respirators for workers; a lack of proper guarding on power band saws; blocked exit doors; failure to provide safety latches on crane hooks; and failure to provide fall protection.

The company also received three other than serious violations, including one for not paying for workers personal protective equipment.

The employer has been cited with four serious health violations and a proposed $18,500 penalty.

These citations address the company’s alleged failure to provide proper respiratory protection and engineering controls for workers exposed to dust containing silica; failure to ensure workers used proper hearing protection; and a lack of proper labeling on hazardous material storage containers.

Elyria Foundry Co. LLC has been inspected by OSHA 10 times since 1984 and previously has been issued 21 serious violations. The company employs approximately 285 workers at its foundry in Elyria and more than 350 employees companywide.

The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

Source: OSHA