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| Occupational Safety & Health Administration | ||||||
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OSHA News Release
2007 - 12/12/2007 - U.S. Department of Labor's OSHA safety and health inspection of Zephyrhills, Fla., factory leads to more than $139,000 in proposed penalties |
OSHA News Release - Table of Contents |
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Region 4 News Release: 07-1836-ATL (374) Dec. 12, 2007 Contact: Dan Fuqua Michael Wald Phone: (404) 562-2078 (404) 562-2076 U.S. Department of Labor's OSHA safety and health inspection of Zephyrhills, Fla., factory leads to more than $139,000 in proposed penalties
TAMPA, Fla. -- Wheelblast Inc. is facing $139,500 in proposed penalties following an inspection by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The federal agency uncovered significant safety and health violations at the company's Zephyrhills, Fla., manufacturing plant. In June, a Wheelblast employee was injured when a flash fire in the paint mixing area resulted in burns to more than 30 percent of his body. "This company's management placed employees in extreme danger when it ignored numerous warning labels and product safety information for toxic and highly flammable substances," said Les Grove, OSHA's area director in Tampa. "OSHA will take forceful action when employers ignore their employees' safety." OSHA has proposed $109,500 in penalties for 12 serious and three willful safety violations, including the transfer of chemicals in an unsafe manner, allowing an accumulation of flammable disposable materials and not adequately preventing the ignition of flammable vapors during the manufacturing process. Employees also were found to be exposed to fall hazards, electrical hazards and amputation hazards. One serious, one willful and five other-than-serious health violations have been proposed with $30,000 in penalties against the company for allowing employees to work with toxic and flammable chemicals without proper protective equipment and for operating without a written hazard communication program. Wheelblast Inc. has 15 working days from receipt of the citations to contest them and the proposed penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. The site was inspected by staff from OSHA's Tampa Area Office, 5807 Breckenridge Parkway, Suite 240; telephone 813-626-1177. Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to assure the safety and health of America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards; providing training, outreach and education; establishing partnerships; and encouraging continual process improvement in workplace safety and health. For more information, visit www.osha.gov. ###
U.S. Labor Department releases are accessible on the Internet at www.dol.gov. The information in this news release will be made available in alternate format upon request (large print, Braille, audio tape or disc) from the COAST office. Please specify which news release when placing your request. Call (202) 693-7765 or TTY (202) 693-7755. The U.S. Department of Labor is committed to providing America's employers and employees with easy access to understandable information on how to comply with its laws and regulations. For more information, please visit www.dol.gov/compliance. |
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