Region 10 News Release:   01-57
April 11, 2001
Contact: Jeannine Lupton
PHONE: (206) 553-7620
TDD: 1-800-676-8956

OSHA ISSUES CITATIONS TO LAIDLAW TRANSIT SERVICES FOR SAFETY VIOLATIONS IN BOISE, IDAHO

SEATTLE - The U.S. Labor Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced today it has 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 stated 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 the recognized hazards and employees were exposed to the hazard of fire and explosion from an 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; machine guarding was not provided; 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 stated that the floor-rated load capacity was not determined or posted at the overhead storage mezzanine area; lack of a written emergency action plan and lack of training on the use of portable fire extinguishers for employees.

According to Kuehmichel, the company has 15 working days to contest the citations.

Editor's Note:

A willful violation is defined by OSHA as one in which an employer knew that a condition constituted a violation or was aware that a hazardous condition existed and made no reasonable effort to correct it.

A serious violation is defined by OSHA as one in which there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result, and the employer knew or should have known of the hazard.

The Boise OSHA area director may be contacted at 1150 North Curtis Road, Boise, Idaho 83706, telephone 208-321-2960.