OSHA Cites Arkansas Firms, Proposed Penalties Total More Than $123K

Two Arkansas-based companies have been cited by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration for workplace safety violations. Combined penalties proposed by OSHA for the two firms total $123,100.

Custom design and packaging manufacturer AGE Industries Ltd. in Conway was cited for 14 safety violations, including exposing workers to amputation and electric shock hazards. The proposed penalty is $78,500.

OSHA’s September inspection of the Conway facility uncovered one repeat, seven serious and six other safety violations.

The repeat violation, with a penalty of $38,500, was cited for exposing workers to amputation hazards as they worked near the manual cutting machine without required machine guards. Similar violations were cited in December 2011.

Seven serious violations, with a $38,900 penalty, were cited for failure to provide correct machine guards for tube saws and glue machines and to contain live electrical wiring on an automatic pallet-wrapping machine.

Six other violations, with a penalty of $1,100, were cited for improper record keeping, housekeeping and additional electrical violations.

With U.S. facilities in Arkansas and Texas, and another facility in Mexico, AGE Industries builds corrugated boxes, fiber tubes and packaging supplies.

Little Rock-based Good Old Days Foods Inc. also was cited for 14 violations, including exposing workers to amputation and electric shock hazards due to a lack of machine guarding and lockout/tagout procedures. The company was hit with a $47,600 penalty.

Two repeat violations, with a penalty of $14,000, were cited for worker exposure to housekeeping hazards, including ice accumulation on a freezer ceiling and floor holes on an expanded metal platform. Similar violations were cited in January 2012 at the same facility.

Nine serious violations, with a $33,600 penalty, were cited for worker exposure to possible amputation hazards for failure to guard rotating machinery parts and implement lockout/tagout procedures to protect workers who service or maintain machines. The company also exposed workers to electric shock hazards as they worked on machines with exposed wiring.

Good Old Days Foods, based in Little Rock and specializing in unbaked frozen bread and pastry products.

Both companies have 15 business days from receipt of their citations to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the citations and penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

Source: OSHA