A&B Foundry, located in Franklin, Ohio, has been issued $143,150 after a federal workplace safety and health inspection found workers exposed to the risks of amputation, hearing loss and respiratory damage.
OSHA pointed out the same hazards to A&B in 2012. In total, the regulatory body issued 12 repeated and two serious violations and one other-than-serious violation.
The inspection found a lack of safety guards, multiple violations of respiratory protection standards and allowed the use of devices not capable of lifting loads within the rated capacity.
The company also did not train workers about noise hazards, evaluate them for noise exposure, nor did the company provide training on hazardous chemicals. In addition, workers were not required to use personal protective equipment including head and face protection, allowed use of damaged equipment and did not close electrical openings and junction boxes as required.
"A&B Foundry continues to maintain an environment where employees are exposed to serious noise, dangerous machinery and debilitating respiratory hazards," said Ken Montgomery, area director of OSHA's Cincinnati office in a press statement. "The company needs to re-evaluate its safety and health programs and ensure workers are provided the training and equipment necessary to protect them from injury and illness on the job."
