The United States Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has

cited Elite Storage Solutions, LLC for twenty two serious safety and health violations. They come in response to inspections of a facility in Monroe, GA, in January and February of 2014.

These inspection was initiated after two separate incidents where an employee was injured, resulting in the loss of a finger. These injuries happened in a three-month period beginning in November, 2014. An inspection in January was in response to the first injury, and a follow-up inspection in February was in response to the second. These violations carry proposed penalties of $125,165.

“Every employer’s highest priority should be protecting the safety and health of their workers,” said Bill Fulcher, director of OSHA’s Atlanta-East Area Office. “It is tragic that employees are left to suffer when a company chooses not to abide by recognized safety standards.”

As a result of the inspections, violations were found for: exposing employees to amputation hazards by not ensuring welded metal beams were secured, failing to protect workers from moving machine parts during service and maintenance, obstructing exit routes, exposing workers to fall hazards up to heights of 10 feet, not ensuring employees performing maintenance or service on equipment were trained, failing to have safety guards on several pieces of machinery, allowing employees to work in a 480-volt electrical panel without personal protective equipment, failing to have a respiratory protection training program, and Storing an oxygen cylinder without a valve protection cap.

If you have any questions about this inspection or about how to ensure your facility is OSHA compliant, please contact us. If you have anything to add about the importance of regularly reviewing your occupational safety and health policies and procedures, please leave a comment.