Indiana fabricators firm faces fines
- Foremost Fabricators, of Goshen, Ind., was cited for repeat safety violations with cutting machines by OSHA.
- The firm, which makes aluminum and laminated products for the RV market, is facing $42,000 worth of fines.
- Employees were exposed to a shearing machine with no guarding, which the company was cited for twice.
- The other violations involve the lack of guarding on three other machines.
Explosion at company cited for safety concerns
- An explosion occurred at Armorock Polymer Concrete, which manufactures concrete products in Boulder City, Nev.
- Armorock Polymer Concrete paid $12,912 in fines involving five workplace violations during Dec. 28, 2021, inspection.
- The 2019 workplace accident occurred when a steel plate fell on a worker’s hand as he was assembling and welding a steel mold for a cement product, OSHA records indicate. The worker was hospitalized and his thumb was amputated.
- Six employees were injured and two — including one person who had significant burns — were hospitalized after the explosion, according to officials.
Ohio manufacturer faces $350,000 in fines
- An Ohio aluminum vehicle parts manufacturer cited for safety and health violations after a worker in Ravenna suffered fatal injuries in 2021 faces more penalties.
- OSHA found General Aluminum Mfg. Co.’s facility in Conneaut exposed workers to similar machine hazards when the agency served warrants on Jan. 3, 2022.
- Inspectors found machines at the plant lacked adequate machine guarding and workers were exposed to amputation and caught-in hazards.
- OSHA assessed $315,952 in proposed penalties following the inspection.
Federal lawmakers expected to increase OSHA funding
- Congressional lawmakers are expected to approve a $100 million increase in OSHA funding for 2023.
- There is also expected to be additional support for federal workplace safety enforcement agencies, according to the National Council on Occupational Safety and Health.
- Workers face “ever greater threats″ to their health and well-being, including exposure to COVID-19 and extreme heat, advocates said.
- OSHA currently has about 755 federal inspectors, which is near the lowest staffing in more than 50 years.