A Texas architectural woodwork company and its staffing provider have been fined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for exposing workers, including 20 temps, to amputation hazards. The agency launched an investigation after receiving several complaints about the hazards. The inspection was launched in January at Terrill Manufacturing Company Inc.’s San Angelo facility.
Terrill Manufacturing’s temporary workers were provided by A.L. Staffing Inc., doing business as Spherion Staffing. Terrill received citations for 18 serious violations including:
- Failing to establish a respiratory protection program.
- Not establishing a lockout/tagout procedure
- Failing to lockout and isolate energy sources prior to maintenance or repair of machines.
- Not evaluating powered industrial truck operators every three years, as required.
- Allowing rotating rollers, belts, pulleys, sprockets and chains to operate without safety guards.
- Failing to prevent automatic restart of woodworking machines after power failures.
- Not furnishing ripsaws with a spreader, anti-kickback feature and adjustable guards.
- Not providing hazard communication training to employees working with hazardous chemicals.
- Allowing several hazardous electrical risks.
A.L. Staffing was cited for two serious violations, one for allowing its workers to operate machine rollers without machine guards, and the other for allowing its workers to operate machines without guards to prevent contact with chains and sprockets.
Terrill’s fines total $58,800, while A.L. Staffing faces fines of $4,800.
“With the increased focus by OSHA on the safety of employees and contingent workers, staffing providers and clients should make the review of their processes, procedures and training a priority,” said Dawn McCartney, CCWP, Staffing Industry Analysts’ director of contingent workforce strategies and research. “It should not only be after an injury occurs that this becomes important – especially when most times both parties are held liable.”
