Cincinnati company faces $121K in OSHA penalties

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Trans-Acc Inc., a metal treatment company in Cincinnati, for 33 alleged serious violations of federal workplace safety standards found during an investigation into the November 2007 fire at the facility which took the life of one employee.

OSHA's investigation found a number of workplace safety violations involving electrical hazards, the unsafe handling of flammable liquids and vapors, failure to address respirator needs and hazards, and not protecting employees against exposure to chromium VI.

"Employers have an essential and unavoidable responsibility to see to it that areas with flammable liquids and chemicals which carry significant health risks are made safe for their employees," said Richard Gilgrist, OSHA's area director in Cincinnati. "There is no excuse for failing to take the appropriate steps to keep the workplace safe from the hazards of explosion, fire and excessive exposure to such chemicals."

Trans-Acc Inc. specializes in coating and treating metal parts. OSHA has inspected the Cincinnati plant eight times since 1975, with most violations reported prior to 1990. As a result of a more recent inspection in 1997, OSHA issued one serious violation.

OSHA's citations carry a total of $121,800 proposed fines.