San Antonio Printing Company Cited for Safety Hazards

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Litho Press Inc. with 19 alleged serious violations at the company’s worksite in San Antonio, Texas, including leaving workers vulnerable to amputations from improper machine guarding. Proposed penalties total $53,550.

OSHA began an inspection on Oct. 6 under its National Emphasis Program on Amputations at the company’s facility on Milling Road, where workers manufacture books, magazines, directories and brochures.

Violations include inadequate machine guarding (including for belts, pulleys and horizontal shafts) and a lack of specific procedures to control hazardous energy while workers conducted cleaning and servicing operations on printing equipment. The NEP on amputations is a program designed to more effectively reduce amputation injuries by properly applying machine guarding techniques and adequately controlling associated energy hazards.

Additionally, employees were exposed to falling nearly nine feet due to a 16-inch gap in a guardrail system on an elevated working surface. Other violations include failing to provide guardrails on elevated working areas to protect employees from falls; ensure electrical deficiencies were repaired and maintained; and provide training on the use of hazardous chemicals and methods to control hazardous energy.

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

Source: OSHA