Machine Guarding Violations Result in $100,000 Fines.

The importance of machine guarding has been highlighted over the past 15 months by the number of incidents involving injuries and deaths. All government safety organizations take very seriously the issue of machine guarding. In the USA the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) is overseen (federally) with the protection and enforcement of workplace safety. Here is a story of a an aluminium die cast company being fined by OSHA for machine guarding violations as well as other violations. The company in question will have the opportunity to contest these fines and may prevail. With that in mind the APSB has chosen to keep the company in question anonymous. Here is the story.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited an aluminium die casting company with 24 alleged serious violations at is aluminium die casting manufacturing facility in the USA. The safety and health inspections, which began in 2012 were conducted under OSHA's Site-Specific Targeting Program that directs enforcement resources to workplaces where the highest rates of injuries and illnesses occur. Proposed penalties total over $100,000.

"The numerous violations found at this workplace emphasize the need for every employer to develop a strategy to find and fix hazards to ensure the safety and health of workers," said the local OSHA area director. "Fortunately, the inspection process was initiated before any severe injuries took place."

The serious safety violations include:

• Failing to provide the required machine guarding for saws and covers on rotating belts and pulleys
• Ensuring electrical wiring is properly installed
• Electrical cords are properly maintained
• Slip, trip, and fall hazards were cited due to wet floors,
• Uncovered floor holes
• Failing to provide fall protection equipment for workers climbing machinery during repairs.

A serious violation occurs when there is a substantial probability of death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.

Hazards associated with unprotected machinery, such as saw blades, rotating belts and pulley, can often be controlled. Information on machine guarding and amputation hazards is available here.

Ignorance or lack of knowledge is not a defense regarding any safety issue in your facility. 

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