In mid-2014 after receiving a complaint about worker safety and health, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration started investigating U.S. Chutes Corporation in Litchfield County, CT. The manufacturer of galvanized chutes for laundry and trash conveyors was found in violation of 9 repeated and 15 serious safety and health regulations, accumulating over $94,248 in fines.
Source; Wikimedia
U.S. Chutes Corp employees were exposed to chemical, mechanical, electrical, and respiratory hazards during the manufacturing process. OSHA’s inspection identified numerous hazards that were a danger to employee health and safety, including an out-of-date respiratory protection program for employees who welded and spray painted, no medical evaluations or fit testing for workers who wore respirators, and no hazard analysis to know what protective equipment was necessary to protect employees.
The company had also failed to train employees on health hazards and monitoring levels of hexavalent chromium exposure (a known carcinogenic substance), allowed mechanical power press operation without safety guards, and permitted exposed wiring in electrical panels and improperly used electrical power cords.
U.S. Chutes Corp were cited with similar violations by OSHA back in 2009, thus resulting in a number of repeated violations.
Under OSHA regulations, manufacturers, suppliers, and users of chemicals are required to comply with GHS to make the handling and transportation of chemicals safer and easier. By ensuring that your material safety data sheets (MSDS’s) are converted to the GHS safety data sheet (SDS) format by June 1, 2015 and training all employees on how to use and read the new GHS SDS format and label elements, companies can better ensure that workplaces and employee health are not compromised. For more information on GHS conversion, please contact a Quantum associate at marketing@usequantum.com!
