The US Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued Canton, Ohio-based Republic Engineered Products Inc., a steel manufacturing company, two wilful and four serious citations for exposing its workers to fall hazards and failing to maintain equipment and walkways at its Canton facility on Monday. The company faces penalties totalling $156,000.
"Republic Engineered Products Inc. has repeatedly demonstrated a wilful disregard for employees' safety by continually failing to provide fall protection and maintain equipment in its steel plants," said OSHA Area Director Rob Medlock in Cleveland, Ohio. "Failing to correct these issues is not acceptable. OSHA is committed to seeing that the workers at this facility are provided a safe and healthy workplace."
As a result of the June inspection by OSHA, the company was issued two wilful citations with proposed fines of $140,000 for exposing workers to fall hazards and failing to complete periodic inspections of overhead cranes within the past 12 months. A willful violation is one committed with intentional, knowing or voluntary disregard for the law's requirements or plain indifference to employee safety and health.
Republic Engineered Products Inc. also received four serious citations with proposed penalties of $16,000. Alleged violations include operating cranes with severe cracks in the brake assemblies, failing to provide proper illumination on ladderways and stairways, failure to keep floor areas and walkways clear of debris, and failing to maintain equipment. A serious citation is issued when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.
Since 2005, the company's Canton location, which employs about 670 people, has been inspected six times and received 31 safety violations.