A local Texas steel fabricator reportedly continues to put its workers in harm's way, despite its awareness of hazards at its Farmers Branch facility, and a recent federal inspection that found more than a dozen safety violations.
U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspectors cited Steel Fabrication Services Inc. for two willful, six repeated and six serious violations in a follow-up inspection.
They found the company continued to expose workers to unguarded machinery, improperly stored oxygen cylinders and other safety and health hazards. The company faces proposed penalties totaling $188,760.
"When an employer ignores hazards in the workplace, workers often suffer the consequences. OSHA will not tolerate such negligence," said Stephen Boyd, OSHA's area director in the Dallas Area Office. "Employers must find and fix hazards. In this case, Steel Fabrication has chosen to continue to expose workers to hazards willfully. OSHA will continue to pursue corrections to ensure that these workers are safe."
Inspection was Follow-up on Previous Citations
Begun in January, the inspection was a follow-up visit for citations issued in February 2014.
At that time, OSHA identified five serious violations involving the lack of protective guards for dangerous machines, unsafe storage of compressed gas cylinders and electrical hazards. Steel Fabrication did not respond to the citations and failed to provide OSHA with documentation that the problems had been addressed, as required by law.
Based in the Dallas Metroplex, Steel Fabrication manufactures fabricated parts, weldments and finished products in carbon steel, stainless steel, aluminum and other materials.
The company was given 15 business days from receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to comply, request a conference with OSHA's area director, or contest the findings before the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
Author Kori Shafer-Stack, Editor, Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. is an expert in post-injury response procedures and part of the Amaxx team helping companies reduce their workers compensation costs by 20% to 50%. www.reduceyourworkerscomp.com. Contact: kstack@reduceyourworkerscomp.com.
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