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PLAINS TWP. — A federal agency announced Thursday it has cited a township paperboard manufacturing business for failing to correct prior safety hazards.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration, commonly known as OSHA, said it cited Midvale Paper Box Co. after inspectors found employees exposed to safety hazards during a follow-up investigation.
Midvale company representatives could not immediately be reached for comment Thursday afternoon.
OSHA has proposed $201,212 in penalties against Midvale, the release said.
The company has 15 business days from its receipt of the citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, the agency said.
According to the release:
OSHA conducted an inspection at Midvale in October in response to a complaint and to check on the status of its May 2015 investigation.
The agency cited the employer for exposing employees to electrical hazards and failing to:
• Ensure proper machine guarding
• Implement lockout procedures to prevent machine start-up
• Provide forklift operator certification training
Several violations in the 2015 inspection were only partially corrected or continued, OSHA’s Wilkes-Barre area office director Mark Stelmack said in the release.
”The employer’s continued failure to follow basic safety standards places employees at risk of serious injury or worse,” Stelmack said.
Employers must provide safe and healthful workplaces under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, the release said. OSHA sets and enforces standards and provides training, education and assistance.