Ohio Iron Products Manufacturer Fined $214.5K for Safety Violations

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Kenton Iron Products LLC in Kenton, Ohio, with $214,500 in proposed penalties for 29 alleged serious, willful, and repeat safety and health violations for unsafe working conditions at the company’s iron casting facility.

As a result of a January 2010 inspection, OSHA has issued three alleged willful citations with proposed penalties of $156,000 for failing to ensure that some equipment was de-energized and shut down properly, and lockout/tagout procedures were in place before workers conducted maintenance on the equipment to prevent accidental start-up of machinery.

Twenty-two serious citations with proposed penalties of $50,700 also have been issued. These include excess amounts of flammable liquids stored in a fire area; lack of or improper capacity labeling on equipment; malfunctioning back up alarms and hydraulic leaks on equipment; failure to have and enforce electrical lockout/tagout procedures; lack of employee fall protections; lack of proper personal protective gear for workers, and unlabeled containers of hazardous chemicals.

Additionally, OSHA has issued $7,800 in proposed fines for three repeat violations, including failing to provide proper grounding and bonding of flammable liquids, failing to provide safety latches on material handling hooks, and using compressed air over the 30 pounds per square inch limit.

The company also has received one other-than-serious citation for using damaged electrical testing equipment.

Kenton Iron Products manufactures iron castings at its two foundries located in Kenton and has more than 80 employees. The company has been inspected by OSHA 10 times since 1981 and has received 49 previous citations.

The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

Source: OSHA