Miami window manufacturer faces $67K in OSHA fines

RP news wires, Noria Corporation

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has proposed penalties of $67,650 against Glasswall LLC for 26 serious safety violations found at its Miami, Fla., aluminum window manufacturing plant.

Inspectors visited the facility in March as part of OSHA's Site-Specific Targeting Program, which targets the nation's most hazardous workplaces for inspection based on their histories of having high numbers of injury and illness cases.

"Our inspection of the company showed numerous problems which indicated a lack of attention to safety," said Darlene Fossum, OSHA's area director in Fort Lauderdale. "Employers are offered assistance when they are identified with high injuries and illness rates. This employer failed to take any corrective actions until we entered the facility to conduct our inspection."

OSHA found exit doors obstructed and unmarked, employees not wearing eye protection, machines lacking safety guards, forklifts in poor repair being used by untrained operators and extension cords being used inappropriately. In addition, the plant was cited for not maintaining the mandatory OSHA 300 Log, which employers must maintain to track work-related injuries and illnesses.

The company has 15 working days from receipt of the citations to contest them and the proposed penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

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