The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently cited Sabel Steel Service Inc., which is based in Montgomery, Alabama, for exposing employees to amputation, fall and other hazards at four of the company’s facilities. The manufacturer faces $320,261 in penalties.
As part of its national emphasis program on amputations, OSHA conducted separate inspections at Sabel Steel Service’s facilities in Montgomery, Dothan and Theodore, Alabama, as well as in Newnan, Georgia. The company not only was cited for exposing employees to amputation hazards but also for failing to use safety procedures to control the release of hazardous energy during machine maintenance or servicing, provide fall protection, and conduct medical evaluations to determine an employee’s ability to use a respirator. Inspectors also discovered improperly stored oxygen, propane and acetylene cylinders, along with electrical and fire hazards.
"Employers are required to conduct regular assessments of their workplaces to identify safety hazards that can put employees at risk for serious or fatal injuries," said Joseph Roesler, OSHA’s Mobile area office director.
Sabel Steel Service has 15 business days from receipt of the citations and proposed penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
For more information, visit www.osha.gov.
