Earlier this week, we discussed the fact that an Avon, New York metal products manufacturing plant had been substantially fined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for serious and repeated safety hazards in the workplace. It seems that another New York metal-works plant has been similarly cited this month.

The metal finishing plant was cited for safety violations by OSHA after an employee suffered a significant workplace injury. The man was burned while trying to extinguish a fire ignited by flammable vapors. The fire occurred in an unventilated room containing 800 gallons of dangerously flammable liquid.

The room was apparently constructed in violation of fire-resistance codes. In addition, flammable liquid containers were allowed to remain uncovered, even in the presence of actively lit lighters.

To make matters even worse, the plant was cited for blocked access to fire extinguishers, lack of an operational sprinkler in certain rooms containing flammable material and a lack of extinguisher training.

OSHA has proposed that the plant be fined more than $50,000 for these and other egregious safety violations. Of this total, $33,000 is related to serious violations, whereas upwards of $18,000 is related to repeat violations.

The repeat violations are classified as such because the plant was cited for similar hazards in 2010 and 2011. The serious violations are classified by their substantial risk for serious physical injury or death, despite the employer's knowledge of the related hazards.

As we noted earlier this week, fixing problems temporarily is inadequate. In order to prevent employees from suffering work-related injuries and death, employers must commit to lasting safety improvements. Especially in workplaces containing hazardous materials, employers must be vigilant about safety.

Source: US Department of Labor, "US Labor Department's OSHA cites Syracuse, NY, metal finishing plant for repeat and serious safety violations after employee burned," News Release, Jan. 27, 2012