OSHA hits Georgia manufacturer with $41K in fines

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has proposed $41,000 in penalties against J.D.R. Enterprises for willful, serious and other violations of federal workplace safety standards at its Madison, Ga., drainage products manufacturing plant.

"There is no excuse for an employer willfully violating federal safety and health regulations," said Gei Thae Breezley, director of OSHA's Atlanta East Area Office. "It is disturbing to know that this employer received recommendations to address a safety issue but chose not to fully implement them."

OSHA inspectors issued a willful violation with a $35,000 proposed penalty for failing to fully implement an energy control program. The company had received an expert recommendation to develop such a program but failed to act on that recommendation. A willful violation is one committed with plain indifference to or intentional disregard for employee safety and health.

OSHA also cited J.D.R. Enterprises for three serious violations with proposed penalties totaling $5,500 for failing to provide personal protective equipment training, failing to fully train power truck operators and not providing machine guards on equipment. A company employee was injured as a result of a machine lacking a hand guard.

Four other-than-serious violations were proposed with a $500 penalty for incomplete recordkeeping, failure to certify training completion in workplace hazards and power truck operations, and failure to provide hazard communication training to welders.

J.D.R. Enterprises has 15 working days to contest the citations and proposed penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. The site was inspected by staff from OSHA's Atlanta East Area Office, 2183 Northlake Parkway, Building 7, Suite 110, Tucker, Ga., telephone 770-493-6644.

OSHA operates a vigorous enforcement program, conducting more than 39,000 inspections in fiscal year 2007 and exceeding its inspection goals in each of the last eight years. In fiscal year 2007, OSHA found nearly 89,000 violations of its standards and regulations.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to assure the safety and health of America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards; providing training, outreach and education; establishing partnerships; and encouraging continual process improvement in workplace safety and health. For more information, visit www.osha.gov.