Massachusetts Workers' Compensation Lawyer Blog
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), an arm of the United States Department of Labor, has cited a Massachusetts-based stone fabricator $47,600 in proposed fines for serious and repeat violations at a Connecticut facility. OSHA inspected International Stone Inc.’s Ansonia granite and marble fabrication site following a safety complaint. During the inspection, 11 alleged workplace safety violations were discovered.
OSHA cited the Woburn-based company $35,000 in proposed fines for nine alleged serious violations. The serious violations included employee operation of grinders with no guards and no eye, hand, or face protections, use of unapproved electrical machinery in wet conditions, misuse of extension cords, inaccessible circuit breakers, improperly maintained lift crane buttons, unmarked and inaccessible exits, and trip and fall hazards. A serious violation is a violation that an employer knew or should have known was substantially likely to cause serious harm or death to an employee.
International Stone also received $12,600 in proposed fines for two repeat violations. A repeat violation occurs when an employer is cited more than once in a five-year-period for a violation of a substantially similar federal safety rule, regulation, or standard. The alleged repeat hazards included failure to inspect lifting cranes for potential defects or hazards and the use of extension cords that were not approved for a wet environment in wet conditions. International Stone was previously cited for similar violations at its Marshfield, Massachusetts location in 2008.
OSHA is tasked with ensuring employers comply with federal workplace safety standards. According to OSHA’s Bridgeport Area Director, conditions at the International Stone’s Ansonia facility unnecessarily exposed workers to a number of electrocution hazards. Employees also reportedly risked eye and face injuries, cuts, amputations, and were exposed to crushing hazards.
Employers in the U.S. must provide employees with a workplace that is free of unreasonable safety hazards. The Massachusetts Workers’ Compensation Act normally provides the only avenue for recovery to a worker who is hurt on-the-job. If you have questions about a workplace injury, contact a skilledBoston OSHA and workplace rights lawyer to discuss your case.
If you were hurt in a workplace accident, contact Pulgini & Norton, LLP. Our experienced Quincy workers’ compensation attorneys are available to assist you with navigating the often complicated Massachusetts workers’ compensation process. At Pulgini & Norton, we will gladly negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf to get you the compensation your injuries merit. Our capable lawyers represent injured clients throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts including Bristol, Norfolk, Middlesex, Worcester, and Suffolk counties. To speak with a hardworking workers’ compensation attorney, call Pulgini & Norton toll free at (888) 344-2046 today. You may also contact us through the law firm’s website.
More Blogs:
OSHA Proposes $589,200 in Fines for Safety Violations at Tewksbury-Based Grocery Chain, Massachusetts Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Blog, April 27, 2012
Senate Bill Would Make Failure to Purchase Workers’ Compensation Insurance a Felony in Massachusetts, Massachusetts Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Blog, April 19, 2012
Additional Resources:
US Labor Department’s OSHA cites Massachusetts stone fabricator for repeat and serious violations at Ansonia, Conn., facility; proposes $47,600 in fines, OSHA Region 1 News Release: 12-425-BOS/BOS 2012-043 dated March 20, 2012