In late January of 2016, frozen food delivery brand The Schwan Food Company signed an agreement with OSHA stating that the company took full responsibility for identified safety and health hazards and promising that they would aggressively work to fix those hazards. The total associated fines add up to $100,000.
The Schwan Food Company was cited several times, including two serious violations for not training employees adequately and failing to develop a comprehensive backup system for the event of refrigerator failure. OSHA also issued a less-than-serious citation when the company did not carry out a proper respirator fit test for certain employees.
According to an OSHA press release,
“In addition, the agreement includes extensive enhancements and commitments for safety and health improvements such as:
- Assuring only authorized, properly trained employees perform service and maintenance on machinery.
- Hiring a third-party consultant to conduct an audit of the facility focused on equipment, fall, electrical and guarding hazards.
- Conducting training for employees on emergency shut-down, contractors, first-responder, standard operating procedures for new machinery and keeping OSHA 300 logs.
- Meeting with OSHA officials quarterly to discuss the status of compliance.“
The relevant citations here were issued at the company’s Atlanta location, but The Schwan Foods Company employs over 14,000 Americans in several locations across the country. The Atlanta subsidiary itself only houses 490 workers.
“We are very encouraged that Schwan recognized the safety failures that have reoccurred and is taking full responsibility,” said Bill Fulcher, director of OSHA’s Atlanta East Area Office. “The company settled the citations immediately and signed the enhanced compliance agreement as part of its commitment to protect its workers and operate safely. When employers are committed to safety, everyone wins.”
Of course, the best way to ensure worker safety is by being proactive and catching potential violations before workers get put in harm’s way. Looking to safety softwares and other tracking methodologies allows companies to keep track of dangerous worksite elements and keep their workers from unsafe situations. Waiting until OSHA issues a citation may mean unwittingly exposing employees to danger, so staying abreast of workplace hazards is crucial to maintaining a healthy environment.
