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Dakota Software's Blog for EHS and Sustainability Professionals

CT steel foundry faces six-figure fine for dangerous conditions

April 18th, 2016 by Dakota Software Staff Industry News

CT steel foundry faces six-figure fine for dangerous conditions

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration's upcoming fine schedule increase allows businesses to view sanctions by the regulator in a different light. With financial penalties rising for the first time since 1990 and a substantial increase of about 80 percent across the board, businesses can look to headlines about recent OSHA actions and see how much more those fines will cost after the rise is finalized in summer 2016. The case of a steel foundry in southern Connecticut facing fines of $104,000 for unsafe working conditions, for example, becomes even more serious when you consider that amount would balloon to $187,200 in just a handful of months.

Failure to Provide Protection
According to local ABC affiliate WTNH, the foundry, based in the town of Groton, left workers exposed to a variety of hazards due to a lack of protective equipment and employee training. Electrical, chemical and mechanical hazards, along with risks related to potential exposure to fire, were found by OSHA inspectors. The company, which focuses on making steel components for the aerospace and energy industries, received two visits from OSHA staff. An inspection in January led to $14,000 in fines, while the second site visit in early February accounted for the largest share of the penalties, totaling $90,000, according to area newspaper The Day. In all, the company faces a total of 22 serious violations.

"Our inspections identified a disturbing cross-section of hazards that could result in eye, face or body injuries, burns, or hearing loss for employees at the Groton location, as well as potential fires or explosions," said Warren Simpson, OSHA's area director in Hartford, in a release from the organization. "It's imperative for the health and well-being of its employees that [the company] takes comprehensive, effective and ongoing corrective action to eliminate these hazards."

OSHA inspections are always important events for businesses and the repercussions for a lack of EHS compliance will only get more severe as time passes. Businesses must both establish a high degree of compliance with the rules of OSHA and other regulators relevant to their industries and use the right tools and systems to appropriately document these efforts.

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