OSHA Citations for Liberty Tire Recycling Over Fall, Fire & Explosion Risks
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania based Liberty Tire Recycling over safety violations. According to OSHA, the violations were repeat and serious safety violations which exposed workers to falls, fire/explosion and dangerous, unguarded equipment Liberty’s Port St. Lucie, Florida tire recycling facility. The violations came to light following a Site-Specific Targeting inspection in January 2014. OSHA explained that two repeat citations, carrying penalties of $30,000, were issued for exposing workers to fall hazards while working on platforms that lacked guardrails or had incomplete guardrails, and for exposing workers to caught-in hazards while they worked near unguarded shaft and conveyor belts. In November 2013, the company was cited for the same violations at its tire recycling facility in Saltillo, Mississippi, OSHA noted. A repeat violation exists when an employer previously has been cited for the same or a similar violation of a standard, regulation, rule or order at any facility in federal enforcement states within the last five years. Further, three serious violations with $15,000 in penalties, were cited for exposing workers to safety hazards while a powered industrial truck was operating with no functioning backup alarm or front lights. Additionally, OHSA said that employees were exposed to fire/explosion hazards from the accumulation of rubber dust and hazards from unguarded dangerous machinery on conveyors. The organisation explained that 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. “This employer repeatedly failed to address previously cited fall and unguarded machinery violations, which were brought to management's attention two months ago,” said Condell Eastmond, OSHA's area director in Fort Lauderdale. “These hazards need to be eliminated from the workplace immediately to ensure workers are protected from serious injury or death,” added Eastmond. Liberty Tire Recycling has 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 independent Occupational Safety & Health Review Commission. OSHA has created a fall prevention Web page with detailed information in English and Spanish on fall protection standards. The page offers fact sheets, posters and videos that vividly illustrate various fall hazards and appropriate preventive measures and can be found HERE Read More OSHA Citations Follow Fatal Explosion at Cincinnati Hazardous Waste Plant Cincinnati based Environmental Enterprises, an environmental services company specialising in industrial and hazardous waste management has been cited by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) with 22 safety and health violations following a fire and explosion at its Cincinnati waste treatment facility on December 28 last year. Buffalo to Hold E-Waste & Hazardous Household Waste Events Following EPA Citation Following previous EPA hazardous waste Citations, the City of Buffalos to host nine community recycling events for fluorescent light bulbs, e-waste and hazardous household waste from city residents. VIDEO: New Fire Suppression System for Waste & Recycling Mobile Machinery Tyco Fire Protection Products has launched a new fire suppression system aimed at mobile equipment operating in harsh environments such as the waste and recycling industry.