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OSHA News Release
2008 - 10/20/2008 - U.S. Department of Labor's OSHA proposes $108,000 in fines against New London, Conn., shipyard and ship repair facility |
OSHA News Release - Table of Contents |
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Region 1 News Release: 08-1434-BOS/BOS 2008-307 Mon., Oct. 20, 2008 Contact: Ted Fitzgerald Phone: 617-565-2074 U.S. Department of Labor's OSHA proposes $108,000 in fines against New London, Conn., shipyard and ship repair facility
HARTFORD, Conn. - Thames Shipyard and Repair Co., a New London, Conn., shipyard and repair facility, faces $108,000 in proposed fines from the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) after being cited for 43 alleged serious violations of safety and health standards. The citations and fines follow safety and health inspections conducted under an OSHA program that targets inspections to workplaces with higher than average injury and illness rates. OSHA issues serious citations when death or serious physical harm is likely to result from hazards about which the employer knew or should have known. "The breadth and number of hazardous conditions cited at this workplace reflect the need for this employer to take aggressive, effective and ongoing action to identify, address and eliminate them," said C. William Freeman III, OSHA's area director in Hartford. "Left uncorrected, these conditions expose employees to the ongoing threats of electrocution, lacerations, amputations, fires, falls, chemical burns, hearing loss and crushing hazards." Specifically, OSHA identified numerous instances of electrical hazards including inadequate personal protective equipment; ungrounded, exposed, damaged or misused electric cords or equipment; no electric safety-related work practices program; and lack of such training for the company's electrician. There also were several instances of unguarded saws, grinders and milling machines; not removing a damaged powered industrial truck from service; excess air pressure in a cleaning hose; and no radius indicator for a crane boom. Other cited conditions included not implementing a hearing conservation program for employees exposed to excess noise levels, an incomplete respiratory protection program and not providing medical evaluations to all employees who wear respirators, an incomplete bloodborne pathogen exposure control program, welding deficiencies, lack of fall protection, improper storage of compressed gas cylinders, improper dispensing of a flammable liquid, inadequate hazard communication and no exposure determination for employees exposed to hexavalent chromium. Detailed safety and health information about ship repair and shipyard work, including associated hazards, safe work practices and an interactive e-Tool, is available to employers and employees online at www.osha.gov/SLTC/shipbuildingrepair/index.html. Thames Shipyard and Repair Co. has 15 business days from receipt of its citations to meet with OSHA or to contest the citations before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. This inspection was conducted by OSHA's Hartford Area Office; telephone 860-240-3152. Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing a safe and healthy workplace for their employees. OSHA's role is to promote 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. Department of Labor releases are accessible on the Internet at www.dol.gov. The information in this news release will be made available in alternate format (large print, Braille, audiotape or disc) from the COAST office upon request. Please specify which news release when placing your request at 202-693-7828 or TTY 202-693-7755. The Labor Department 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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