Hebron company facing $300K OSHA fine

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2009/02/09/daily31.html

Wednesday, February 11, 2009, 4:55pm EST

A Hebron metal stamping company faces a hefty federal work safety fine, the latest in a string of citations that have put it on the hook for nearly a quarter of a million dollars in the past decade.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration this week proposed $302,000 in fines against Sunfield Inc. for alleged violations of workplace safety standards. That accounts for 21 serious violations, one repeat and three citations for violations believed to be intentional.

Scott Allen, a spokesman for the Labor Department, said the three willful violations alone account for $210,000 of the fine.

Keith Agler, Sunfield’s assistant administration manager, declined to comment on OSHA’s proposed fine.

The investigation, begun last summer, cited the company for a number of alleged violations, including:

• Not providing eye protection or eye flushing stations.

• Not ensuring proper procedure for controlling hazardous energy during press machine maintenance.

• Improper forklift operation.

• Improper electrical safety practices.

• Not properly guarding a robotic feeding arm, a move that could have exposed workers to harm.

FULL story at link.