A New York paperboard mill is facing up to $357,445 in penalties after an OSHA inspection uncovered 61 health and safety hazards.
“The violations found during this investigation put employees at serious risk of injury or even worse,” said OSHA Area Director Christopher Adams. “This is a significant number of hazards for a single workplace.”
OSHA’s report reveals a serious disregard for protective safety and health measures. Several of the 61 citations centered around improper PPE, or complete lack thereof. OSHA reported, “each affected employee did not use appropriate eye or face protection when exposed to eye or face hazards from flying particles, molten metal, liquid chemicals, acids or caustic liquids, chemical gases or vapors, or potentially injurious light radiation.”
OSHA’s report detailed that “the employer supplied only raingear which did not protect employees who perform cleaning operations with Busperse 289 from chemical burns to their arms; torso; stomach; back; and legs.”
According to the report, only sizes L and XL raingear was supplied, which did not fully cover some workers.
This is just one in a countless stream of cases where PPE is disregarded — respiratory protection consistently finishes in the top-5 on OSHA’s top 10 most cited violations list. Both employers and employees alike may view protective gear as a hindrance, rather than something that is actually necessary. A 2012 survey from Kimberly Clark found that this is often the case. It reported that 82 percent of workers said they had seen someone in their company fail to wear required PPE in the last year.
Respondents listed the following as reasons for noncompliance:
- Too Hot
- Uncomfortable
- Ill-Fitting
- Unattractive
- Unavailable near the work task
- Blamed for decreased productivity or an inability to perform tasks
The paperboard mill case falls under number-5, as workers were not provided with the proper protective equipment. This exposed countless employees to hazardous chemicals that could irritate the eyes, nose, throat and lungs. Worse, burns and rashes could occur with skin contact.
It may seem harmless to let employees get away with taking off their mask on a hot day, or to wear something that doesn’t quite fit, but the consequences may be much worse than mere discomfort. Employers that disregard OSHA standards because they deem them unnecessary or unimportant are putting workers, and their companies, at risk.
“Even though it is mandated by OSHA, the vast majority of workers who have experienced on-the-job injuries were not wearing PPE,” David Matela, a Kimberly-Clark safety director, said. “Increased compliance is crucial to creating exceptional workplaces that are healthy, safe and productive.”
If you’re an employer who thinks their PPE may not be up to standard, for the sake of your employees and your company, don’t wait for OSHA to come knocking.
Learn more about how Worksite Medical can keep you and your employees in compliance with medical surveillance.
Give us a call at 1-844-622-8633, or complete the form below, to schedule an on-site visit today.
