Texas Company Fined $197.5K for Alleged Safety Violations

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Jarden Home Brands with two alleged willful and 12 alleged serious violations following a safety inspection at the company’s worksite in Greenville, Texas. Penalties total $197,500.

OSHA’s Dallas Area Office began its inspection Jan. 27 at the company’s facility on Industrial Boulevard after receiving a referral alleging workers were being exposed to safety hazards.

Willful violations were issued for failing to develop specific procedures to protect workers from the unexpected release of electrical energy, and for failing to provide adequate machine guarding for employees working around rotating shafts.

The serious violations included failing to provide fall protection equipment, training in lockout/tagout procedures of energy sources, training in the use of forklift trucks, and ensuring electrical equipment was approved for use in hazardous locations.

Jarden Home Brands has 15 business days from receipt of citations to comply, request an informal conference with the OSHA area director in Dallas, or contest the citations and penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

Source: OSHA