Region 6 News Release:   USDL-OSHA-01-40-04-26
Thurs., Apr. 26, 2001
Contact: Diana Petterson
Phone: (214) 767-4776, ext. 222

OSHA CITES JESSE CRAIG PAINTING CO. INC. IN LOS LUNAS, NEW MEXICO, FOR ALLEGED SAFETY VIOLATIONS; PROPOSES $34,000 IN PENALTIES

DALLAS -- The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Jesse Craig Painting Co. Inc. in Los Lunas, New Mexico, with five alleged safety violations and proposed penalties totaling $34,000, the U.S. Department of Labor announced today.

Jesse Craig Painting Co. is a telecommunications tower painting and maintenance company.

OSHA discovered the alleged safety violations during an inspection that began Oct. 30, 2000, after an employee was killed and another received serious injuries when they fell while being hoisted up a 500 foot telecommunications tower. The accident occurred about 18 miles east of Pecos, Texas.

The company was cited for two willful, two serious and one other-than-serious safety violations. The two willful violations involved failing to use proper safety equipment to hoist workers and failing to use ladder safety devices, cages or other adequate fall protection equipment. Willful violations are defined as those committed with an intentional disregard of, or plain indifference to, the requirements of the Occupational Safety & Health Act and regulations.

The two serious violations were for failing to inspect personal protective devices, tools and equipment and failing to inspect safety belts and straps. A serious violation involves conditions in which there is a substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result and the employer knew or should have known of the hazardous conditions.

The other-than-serious violation involved the lack of a written certification record of training for first aid and respiration training of employees. Other-than-serious violations involve hazardous conditions that would probably not cause death or serious physical harm but would have a direct and immediate relationship to the safety and health of employees.

Jesse Craig Painting has 15 working days from receipt of the citations to comply, request an informal hearing with OSHA's Lubbock area director, or to contest the citations and penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.