The
U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health
Administration has issued citations to Kief Industries Inc., doing
business as Excelsior Brass Works. The citations allege the company
knowingly exposed workers to lead hazards and violated federal
workplace safety and health standards at its Blandon facility. Proposed
penalties total $550,400.
"The employer
deliberately refused to protect workers from overexposure to lead and
other workplace hazards. Even though company management knew of the
OSHA requirements and the workers' lead exposures, it failed to provide
medical surveillance to monitor worker health and to train its workers
about lead-exposure risks," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA
Dr. David Michaels. "OSHA will use the full extent of the law to ensure
employers are held accountable for failing to protect workers."
Following
its investigation, OSHA cited Excelsior Brass Works for willful and
serious violations of the lead standard, which requires employers to
protect their workers from lead exposure. Lead can cause brain damage,
paralysis, kidney disease and even death.
The willful
citations allege the company did not take air samples as required for
workers who were over-exposed to airborne lead, and it did not provide
the required annual training about lead-exposure hazards. Willful
citations also allege failures to provide the required medical
surveillance for the lead-exposed workers and to make available the
results of medical tests performed shortly after OSHA came to the
facility and opened the inspection. An additional willful violation
alleges that the company stopped providing hearing tests to employees
over-exposed to noise. Willful violations are those committed with
intentional, knowing or voluntary disregard for legal requirements, or
plain indifference to employee safety and health.
Serious
citations of the lead standards allege failures to install additional
engineering controls; to have an updated, written lead compliance
program; to store lead-contaminated clothing in a closed container; to
maintain surfaces like microwaves and lunchroom floors free of lead
dust; to vacuum clothes to remove lead dust before entering the
lunchroom; to provide medical exams to employees with high blood-lead
levels; and to maintain proper air sampling records.
Additional
serious citations allege that the employer failed to install
engineering controls for noise; establish a written respirator program;
to provide respirator fit-tests; and establish a program with
procedures to shut down and lock out hazardous energy sources before
servicing and maintaining machines. OSHA issues a serious citation when
there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm
could result and the employer knew, or should have known, of the hazard.
Two other-than-serious violations, accounting for $1,200 of the total penalties, allege recordkeeping deficiencies.
Excelsior Brass Works, with six previous OSHA inspections at its Blandon facility, manufactures brass and bronze castings.
The
company has 15 business days from receipt of the citations to comply,
request an informal conference with OSHA's area director, or contest
the citations and proposed penalties before the independent
Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. The investigation was
conducted by OSHA's office in Harrisburg, Pa; telephone: 717-782-3902.
To report workplace accidents, fatalities or situations posing imminent
danger to workers, call OSHA's toll-free hotline at 800-321-5742.