OSHA issued a willful citation, serious citation and other-than-serious citation to the Laidlaw Transit Services district office in Commerce City, Colo.
The citations carry a total of $123,000 in proposed penalties for alleged job safety violations at Boise Urban Stages in Boise, Idaho.
The citations were issued following an investigation by OSHA''s Boise Area Office in response to an employee complaint, according to Ryan Kuehmichel, area director for the Boise office.
Laidlaw Transit Services'' willful citation said that equipment, wiring methods and installations of equipment in hazardous locations were not safe or approved for those locations.
The serious citation noted the following violations:
- the company did not provide a workplace free from recognized hazards and employees were exposed to the hazard of fire and explosion from inadequately maintained compressed natural gas compression system;
- employees were exposed to being struck or crushed by an inadequately designed and installed crane;
- trapdoor floor openings were not guarded by floor opening covers;
- compressed gas cylinders were not inspected regularly;
- fall protective equipment was not provided;
- the employer did not provide a written respiratory protection program or an energy control procedure or training; and,
- lack of material safety data sheets for each hazardous chemical used and lack of information and training on hazardous chemicals used in the workplace.
The other-than-serious citation said that the floor-rated load capacity was not determined or posted at the overhead storage mezzanine area; and there was a lack of a written emergency action plan and training on the use of portable fire extinguishers for employees.
The company has 15 working days to contest the citations.
by Virginia Sutcliffe