HBD Thermoid cited again

• OSHA opened its eighth investigation into Ohio-based HBD Thermoid Inc. since 2013, and most recently, found 14 violations related to a lack of adequate machine guarding, electrical safe work practices, training, and lockout/tagout procedures to prevent sudden machine start-ups or movement.
• OSHA assessed the company $321,489 in proposed penalties.
• At the time this investigation was opened, OSHA was still investigating how a 25-year-old employee suffered severe injuries at the same Bellefontaine facility in June 2023.
• OSHA concluded the inspection by issuing two repeat violations and one willful, one serious and one other-than-serious violation on Dec. 20, 2023. For those safety failures, the agency assessed HBD/Thermoid Inc. $389,534 in proposed penalties.
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Injuries rising at food processing plants

• A new hazard alert from OSHA aims to increase awareness and ensure actions are being taken to reduce the “alarming number” of serious, preventable injuries in poultry, meat, and other food processing establishments.
• These establishments have a range of hazards that workers face during all stages of food-processing operations, including normal production operations, machinery inspection, servicing and maintenance, machinery adjustments, clearing jams, cleaning, sanitizing, environmental testing, and food safety inspection tasks, OSHA said.
• From 2015 to 2022, around 1,500 injuries involving food/beverage process machinery and butchering machinery were reported to OSHA, and about 400 injuries involving food slicers and mixers, blenders, and whippers.
• The alert warns that federal regulations prohibit employees younger than 18 from most jobs in meat and poultry slaughtering, processing, rendering, and packing establishments.
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Guidance on responding to OSHA investigation

• OSHA can enter your worksite in two ways: either with a warrant, where a judge or magistrate determines the scope of an inspection; or with your consent, where you determine the scope and direction of the investigation, according to a couple of experts from Fisher Phillips.
• The authors nearly always recommend permitting a consent-based inspection because the option gives companies control of the inspection, including when and where the OSHA inspector visits your facility.
• During the opening conference (when OSHA first arrives to discuss the purpose of the inspection), firms should be professional and courteous with the inspector, but also politely assert their rights—especially when discussing the scope of the inspection.
• Companies shouldn’t permit any manager or supervisor interviews by OSHA on the day the agency arrives. The agency cannot compel the firm to do anything without a warrant or subpoena.
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Illinois OSHA releases fire department fact sheet

• Illinois OSHA released an updated fact sheet detailing the top 20 fire department safety violations during inspections between 2022-2023.
• Since 2019, IL OSHA has conducted over 700 fire department inspections under the Illinois Occupational Safety and Health Act.
• Fire departments can use the top 20 fact sheet to audit their programs and operations to improve workplace safety and health. Seven of the 20 most frequent violations involve the respiratory protection standard.
• Seven of the 20 most frequent violations involve the respiratory protection standard. This standard covers the safe and effective use of a self-contained breathing apparatus firefighters wear during interior firefighting.
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