The United States Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has
cited Peconic Recycling & Transfer Corp. for twelve safety and health violations, including one
willful violation and eleven serious violations. They come in response to an inspection of a
worksite in Cutchogue, NY in July of 2015. This inspection was initiated in response to an
incident where three employees were seriously injured while cleaning screens inside a cylindrical
screening device called a trammel after another employee unexpectedly restarted the machine.
The citations are for violations relating to lockout tagout policies, confined space management,
fall hazards, respiratory hazards, and improper training. These violations carry proposed
penalties of $181,500.
“This incident and serious injuries suffered by three employees were preventable. The company
knew programs needed to be in place to address and prevent these hazards, yet did not provide
required and adequate safeguards,” said Anthony Ciuffo, OSHA’s area director for Long Island.
“For the well-being of its employees, Peconic Recycling & Transfer Co. must take prompt and
effective corrective action to ensure that this never happens again.”
This is another case of large fines being issued in response to inappropriate and lacking lockout
tagout policies and procedures. Lockout tagout is, unfortunately, a very difficult area of
occupational safety and health, however it is also an extremely important area of occupational
safety and health, as deficiencies can lead to large fines and dangerous working conditions for
employees.
If you have any questions about this inspection or if you need help in updating or establishing
occupational safety and health policies and procedures, please contact us. If you have anything to
add about this inspection or about the importance of OSHA compliance, please leave a comment.
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