Penalty reduced in mid-September in recognition of the company’s rapid response to correct problems.
General Glass International, a glass fabricator and distributor based in Secaucus, New Jersey, was cited by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for “serious safety violations” at the company’s fabrication and design center earlier this year.
Five of the cited violations were related to electrical safety hazards. The other five violations were cited for not marking exits clearly, lack of machine guarding, a damaged crane sling, and the use of compressed air at a pressure level that was too high for cleaning a work area.
“Unguarded machinery and electrical hazards are among the leading causes of worker injury and death,” said Kris Hoffman, director of OSHA’s Parsippany Area Office. “General Glass must correct these violations immediately. It is the employer’s responsibility to ensure a safe and healthful workplace.”
The March 2014 inspection proposed penalties totaling 45,540 USD for the violations, but the amount was reportedly reduced roughly to half after an informal follow-up inspection showed all safety issues had been corrected during the initial audit.
According to OSHA, a “serious violation” occurs when there is “substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.” Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to ensure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance.