The US federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is proposing fines of USD 7,125 against Saint-Gobain Abrasives Inc. as a result of a 13 January 2003 accident in which a machine ope…
The US federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is proposing fines of USD 7,125 against Saint-Gobain Abrasives Inc. as a result of a 13 January 2003 accident in which a machine operator suffered injuries to three fingers. In a 10 March 2003 citation, federal inspectors levied a USD 5,000 fine against the company for failing to have a machine guard on a segment press. The absence of a guard enabled ejection knifes to cycle up without restraint and injure the employee, according to OSHA. The accident investigation also resulted in a proposed fine of USD 2,125 for not having a guard on another press, according to OSHA spokesman Ted Fitzgerald. OSHA defined both violations as “serious,” or those in which there is a “substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result, and the employer knew or should have known of the hazard.” Company officials said it had not yet decided how to respond to the charges. The company has until 1 April 2003 to contest the proposed penalties. Under federal law, Saint-Gobain was not obliged to report the accident to OSHA, but United Auto Workers union representatives informed the federal agency, UAW officials said 17 March 2003. UAW demonstrated on 27 February 2003 outside Saint-Gobain“s US headquarters in order to protest the lack of a contract with the union. The 10 March 2003 citation was the third OSHA citation in four months and prompted union officials to question the company“s commitment to health and safety at its Greendale, Massachusetts plant, which employs approximately 1,750. About 800 workers are represented by the UAW, although there are moves to decertify the union at the plant by some members, as reported on GlassOnline on 12 February 2003. The dissatisfied workers complain that the union has failed to improve conditions at the plant. Robert Madore, assistant director for UAW Region 9A, which covers the Saint-Gobain employees, said the company could have done more to secure the health and well-being of its employees. He said other unsafe conditions still exist at the plant. The injured worker ultimately had to have three fingers amputated, Mr. Madore said. A company spokeswoman conceded that the accident resulted in partial amputation of the worker“s fingers. “There“s still more work that could be done on the safety side,” Mr. Madore said. “We don“t want to take them to task, but our obligation is to correct the problem.” Dorothy C. Wackerman, a Saint-Gobain spokeswoman, said the health and safety of employees is a top priority. She said the company had a track record of no OSHA citations since 1989 until the most recent series of proposed penalties. “This is an area of emphasis,” said Ms. Wackerman. “Our performance vs. our competitors“ is indicative of that.” According to Saint-Gobain, the company“s recordable accident rates and lost-time accident rates were below the industry average in 2001, the most recent year for which statistics are available. Saint-Gobain acknowledged that its recordable accident rate and lost- time accident rates rose in 2002, a disappointing development that the company will work to improve. Saint-Gobain is contesting a proposed USD 1,625 penalty assessed by OSHA 23 January 2003, regarding OSHA“s contention that guarding needed to be installed between a kiln and a work platform, Mr. Fitzgerald said. Saint-Gobain and OSHA resolved a 12 December 2003 citation dealing with the location of portable fire extinguishers. That inspection did not result in any proposed fines, Mr. Fitzgerald said.