A Canonsburg, Pennsylvania based painting contractor faces nearly half a million dollars in proposed OSHA penalties for alleged safety violations at three of its projects. The large citation includes 38 alleged violations, including 14 willful and 11 repeat violations at worksites in Slatington, Harrisburg, and Slatedale, Pennsylvania.
The alleged willful violations include failing to properly protect workers from lead exposure and failing to provide fall protection. The repeat violations relate to employee exposure to lead above the permissible exposure level, a lack of warning signs posted in lead work areas, failure to ensure workers showered at the end of each shift, and failure to provide medical evaluations and fit tests for respirator users.
Additional alleged violations include:
- Failure to notify employees of the results of lead monitoring;
- Failure to provide employees with initial medical surveillance for lead;
- Failure to provide periodic blood tests for employees exposed to lead;
- Allowing workers to have or consume food in an area where lead exposure was above the permissible level;
- Failing to notify employees in writing of blood lead test results within five days;
- A lack of guarding on electrical wiring to prevent accidental contact; and
- Failure to ensure that workers wore respirators while blasting with glass media or when exposed to lead in excess of permissible limits.
The cited company has been under OSHA’s scrutiny for the past several years, having been inspected five times in the past five years with four of the inspections resulting in citations for serious violations. As a result of the painting contractor’s alleged refusal to correct hazards, it has been placed on OSHA’s Severe Violator Enforcement Program, which requires targeted follow-up inspections to ensure compliance with OSHA regulations.
This article is authored by attorney Shannon O. Young and is intended for educational purposes and to give you general information and a general understanding of the law only, not to provide specific legal advice. Any particular questions should be directed to your legal counsel or, if you do not have one, please feel free to contact us.
