The United States Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration
has cited Rust-Oleum Corp. for 33 safety and health violations. These violations spanned
multiple areas of occupational safety and heath, but generally focused upon electrical
hazards, amputation, and exposure of full-time and temporary workers to crystalline
silica dust. The investigation was initiated in February in response to a complaint. The
citations carry proposed penalties in the amount of $189,000.
“By failing to correct the violations identified, Rust-Oleum chose to ignore worker safety
and exposed employees to hazards that could result in illness, injury or death,” said Bill
Fulcher, director of OSHA’s Atlanta-East Area Office. “Workplace hazards need to be
addressed immediately and prevented from reoccurring by implementing an effective
safety and health program.”
Rust-Oleum was cited for 32 serious and one repeat violations. The violations included
exposing an employee to crystalline silica at levels of more than two times the exposure
limit; failing to develop procedures to protect workers from moving machine parts
during servicing and maintenance; exposing workers to crushing and struck-by hazards
by not replacing or repairing damaged storage rack shelving; and allowing electrical
equipment to be installed or used without following manufacturer instructions. OSHA
also cited Rust-Oleum for failure to administer and implement an occupational noise
monitoring program; providing adequate protective equipment, such as a chemical apron
for employees working with corrosive materials; and not developing or implementing
a written hazard communication program for employees working with hazardous
chemicals.
OSHA again and again makes clear that once an investigation is in place, no stone will be
left unturned. For this reason, it is imperative business owners ensure all of their safety
and health procedures are up-to-date and properly disseminated to employees. If you are
unsure if your safety and health procedures are up-to-date, or if you need to create new
procedures, it might make sense to hire a qualified third party occupational safety and
health auditing firm to assist you; getting it right the first time could save you hundreds of
thousands of dollars in the long run.
If you have any questions about establishing or updating occupational safety and
health policies and procedures, please contact us. If you have anything to add about the
importance of creating appropriate procedures, please leave a comment.
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