The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Ohio Gratings Inc., a manufacturer of aluminum, stainless steel and carbon products based in Canton, Ohio, for exposing employees to respiratory, chemical and other hazards. OSHA cited the company for 17 serious and five other-than-serious safety and health violations. Ohio Gratings Inc. faces penalties of $183,748.
OSHA initiated a December 2018 inspection after receiving a formal complaint alleging poor ventilation and a lack of training on chemicals used at the facility. OSHA inspectors determined that the company operated a dip tank containing flammable liquid without using proper drainage, overflow piping, adequate ventilation and fire protection.
The agency cited Ohio Gratings for failing to ensure employees used personal protective equipment, inadequate machine guarding, recordkeeping deficiencies, struck-by hazards and exposing workers to flammable liquids.
"OSHA standards require employers to regularly conduct hazard analyses of the worksite, train workers to recognize hazards and provide appropriate personal protective equipment to minimize exposure to materials that can cause long-term health issues," said Howard Eberts, OSHA’s area director in Cleveland, Ohio.
Ohio Gratings Inc. has contested the citations and penalties. The case will now go before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
For more information, visit www.osha.gov.
