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Archived News Release--Caution:
information may be out of date.
For more information call: (202) 219-8151
Tube Products Corp. in Troy, Ohio, has agreed to pay
$750,000 in penalties and to correct safety hazards and inadequate employee
training discovered by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
in an investigation following reports of numerous worker injuries. The firm's
logs showed that in one year there were 108 cuts, burns and flash burns.
Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Joseph A. Dear said,
"This is what we hope to call a 'turnaround' company, where following an OSHA
inspection revealing numerous violations, a company takes strong action to
improve safety and health in the workplace. Not only has Tube Products agreed
to abate the hazards but it also will establish a comprehensive safety and
health program as well as an ongoing training program for certain
employees."
Tube Products Co., a manufacturer of motor vehicle exhaust
systems and manifolds, has about 800 employees. The company was cited Feb. 22,
1995 for numerous violations of OSHA safety and health standards, with proposed
penalties totaling $1,257,500.
Many of the citations involved allegedly failing to
properly guard pipe-fabrication equipment or to properly train employees in the
operation of the equipment.
In addition to abating hazards, Tube Products agreed to
develop and implement an ongoing training program for the machine operators of
pipe-fabrication equipment. The company has developed a written curriculum
guide for the training and retraining of the machine operators in the safe
operation, potential hazards and safety features of the equipment. No one is to
be assigned to operate the equipment before receiving the training.
Tube Products also agreed to conduct periodic inspections
to determine the adequacy of the training and whether machine operators are
using safe operating procedures while working with pipe-fabrication equipment
and to ensure that the equipment remains ready to be safely operated.
If any periodic inspection reveals an operator is using
deficient operating procedures, the company will either correct them
immediately or implement interim protective measures to eliminate the risk of
injury or accident.
If an inspection reveals the equipment is not safe or
ready for use, Tube Products agrees to correct the condition prior to further
use of the equipment.
Tube Products also has agreed to engage a qualified
consultant to verify the company's abatement action for machine guarding and to
help resolve any related issues that might arise.
Tube Products says it already has corrected many of the
cited hazards and that recordable injuries and illnesses have declined
significantly as a result.
The agreement avoids the cost and burden of possible
prolonged litigation and will further the efforts of Tube Products and OSHA to
assure a safe workplace.
The comprehensive safety and health program covering the
workplace will include corporate and management commitment as well as employee
involvement; worksite analysis to identify unsafe conditions and work
practices; hazard prevention and control; medical management to provide the
employees with health and medical care or intervention that may be required by
virtue of work-related injuries and illnesses, and training and information for
the workforce.
Tube Products will give its employees a program
description and give them an opportunity to review it. The program is to be
implemented by April 15, 1996.
Archived News Release--Caution:
information may be out of date.
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