Separate Midwest Postal Service Facilities Cited by OSHA

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration recently cited two U.S. Postal Service facilities in the Midwest for safety violations.

The USPS Bulk Mail Center in Kansas City, Kan., was cited for numerous serious and repeat safety violations endangering the health and safety of its employees; a fine of $191,000 was proposed.

The USPS processing center in Dayton, Ohio, was cited with three alleged willful and six alleged serious violations. The Postal Service faces a total of $225,000 in fines for electrical and equipment hazards following an OSHA inspection conducted in response to employee complaints.

An OSHA inspection revealed seven alleged repeat and 21 alleged serious violations of the Occupational Safety and Health Act at the Kansas City facility. OSHA’s inspection was initiated under its site-specific targeting program which targets employers with high injury and illness rates.

The serious violations stem from overall deficiencies in walking/working surfaces, fall protection, sling use, machine guarding, welding and electrical equipment.

The repeat violations address hazards associated with exit routes, eye wash facilities, electrical equipment and hazard communication.

The Labor Department has filed an enterprise-wide complaint against the U.S. Postal Service for electrical work safety violations.

OSHA’s Dayton, Ohio, inspection, which began in April 2010, found that the Postal Service failed to provide adequate electrical safety training, ensure that workers followed safety-related work practices while working on electrical equipment, provide workers with appropriate personal protective equipment while working on energized electrical equipment, address machine lockout procedures and hazards, and provide proper lockout/tagout training.

Source: OSHA