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U.S. Department of Labor | |
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| Occupational Safety & Health Administration | ||||||
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OSHA News Release
2007 - 04/10/2007 - OSHA fines Premium Protein Products of Hastings $180,900 for 37 safety and health violations |
OSHA News Release - Table of Contents |
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Region 7 News Release: OSHA 07-505-KAN April 10, 2007 Contact: Rich Kulczewski Phone: (303) 844-1302 OSHA fines Premium Protein Products of Hastings $180,900 for 37 safety and health violations
HASTINGS, Neb. -- The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Premium Protein Products of Hastings for 37 alleged safety and health violations and proposed penalties totaling $180,900. OSHA opened a health inspection of the meat processing facility in October 2006 after receiving information alleging violations of OSHA’s Process Safety Management (PSM) Standard, as well as powered industrial truck hazards. A referral from the investigating compliance officer resulted in the safety inspection. “Employers must provide a safe and healthful working environment and ensure that all employees are protected from hazardous conditions,” said Charles E. Adkins, OSHA’s regional administrator in Kansas City, Mo. “This employer is well aware of the standards that protect employees from the hazards we found during our inspection, yet did not comply with them.” One alleged willful health citation is for the employer’s failure to inspect and test the two anhydrous ammonia systems within the facility, and to correct deficiencies in the systems. Sixteen alleged serious health violations address hazards including PSM deficiencies; deficiencies with permits required for confined spaces; failure to develop and implement an emergency action plan; failure to provide refresher training for hazardous material technicians; failure to provide personal protective equipment; failure to provide a respiratory protection program; and failure to develop and implement a hazard communication program. Nineteen alleged serious safety violations address hazards associated with machine guarding deficiencies; failure to use seatbelts on powered industrial trucks; failure to train powered industrial truck operators; failure to provide fall protection; failure to provide a safe working surface; failure to provide adequate lockout/tagout procedures; failure to perform periodic inspections of the lockout/tagout program; failure to replace damaged and exposed welding leads; and various electrical deficiencies. One alleged other-than-serious health violation addresses failure to properly record injuries and illnesses. Willful violations are those committed with an intentional disregard of, or plain indifference to, the requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. Serious violations are those where death or serious physical harm could result and the employer knew, or should have known, of the hazard. Other-than-serious violations have a direct relationship to job safety and health but probably would not cause death or serious physical harm. Premium Protein Products has 15 working days from receipt of the citations and proposed penalties to comply, request and participate in an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the citations before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. 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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