Company Fined Nearly $159K for Safety Violations at Oklahoma Worksite

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited National Standard Co. with alleged serious and repeat citations following a safety and health inspection at the company’s worksite in Stillwater, Okla. Proposed penalties total $158,780.

“This company has a history of safety and health violations dating back to 1988,” said David Bates, OSHA’s area director in Oklahoma City, Okla.

OSHA began an investigation Oct. 27, 2009, at the company’s facility on Perkins Road in Stillwater. The inspection was part of OSHA’s Site-Specific Targeting Program, which is used to focus on industry sectors experiencing high injury and illness rates.

The serious citation includes 25 safety and 13 health violations.

The safety violations include failing to clean settled combustible dust on floors and piping, to place covers on electrical equipment, to provide adequate machine guarding, to provide fall protection equipment such as standard guardrails and to follow manufacturer’s instructions on forklift operations.

Health violations include failing to ensure employees were wearing personal protective equipment and to follow safety procedures for controlling lead.

A repeat citation was issued for failing to properly install and mount receptacle boxes as listed and labeled for use. Under this condition, an electrical shock hazard can occur. In 2007, OSHA cited the company for a similar hazard at this facility following a workplace fatality.

National Standard Co., headquartered in Niles, Mich., is owned by Heico Cos. LLC in Downers Grove, Ill., and employs about 92 workers in Stillwater.

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

Source: OSHA