2 workers hospitalized in separate incidents: $1.92 million in OSHA fines

Following a long history of noncompliance according to OSHA, the agency has issued $1,922,895 in fines to an aluminum

manufacturing company after inspectors learned two employees were hospitalized in separate incidents.

Aluminum Shapes LLC of Delair, NJ, faces 51 safety and health violations in connection with the two incidents.

The first incident occurred when employees entered a tank to drain residual sludge containing dehydrated sodium hydroxide and decomposed metal. Workers told supervisors they were experiencing chemical burns to their skin. One of the employees had to be hospitalized.

The second incident occurred when a machine operator broke his pelvis after being caught between unguarded moving parts of a machine.

OSHA issued willful citations for failure to:

Provide appropriate personal protective equipment
Conduct air monitoring before permit-required confined space entry
Have an attendant during permit-required confined space entry
Complete a confined space entry permit to identify, evaluate and control hazards
Provide confined space training
Use proper lockout/tagout procedures
Provide workers with locks and hardware to lock out equipment being serviced
Develop specific procedures for use of blocking devices
Use group lockout procedures, and
Train workers in lockout/tagout.