Company Cited for 23 Violations Following Fatality Issued $56,250 in Proposed Fines

OSHA opened an investigation Feb. 25 after a worker died as a result of being pulled into a large unguarded lathe. The investigation found numerous additional hazards including blocked or locked exit routes; lack of proper fire protection equipment and training; inadequate fork truck training; improper storage of compressed gas cylinders; no hazard communication program and excessive noise exposure. Other serious hazards include inadequate means of ensuring that supplied air for respirators was safe to breathe and hexavalent chromium issues including surface contamination, lack of PPE for skin exposure and improper cleaning techniques for areas where hexavalent chromium was present.

[Sulzer Metco Coating, Barboursville, WV. Release number 09-538-PHI (OSHA 09-58), May 21, 2009]