OSHA Cites Cleveland Contractor for Parking Garage Collapse, Cites Cabinetry Company for Serious Violations

Despite OSHA training such as OSHA 10 training and OSHA 30 training now being required by contractors, many workers are still exposed to unnecessary worksite hazards because of employer negligence, ignorance, or plain disregard of basic safety protocols. Such was the case of some workers in Cleveland, Ohio and in St. Hedwig, Texas.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has determined that Cleveland Cement Contractors Inc. had committed six serious safety violations, including noncompliance with design and construction standards, after the worksite-safety watchdog’s investigation of the partial collapse of a second-floor parking garage during concrete-placement operation in December last year. The collapse, fortunately, only caused sprains and strains in several workers. OSHA has proposed fines totaling $38,000.

Cleveland Cement Contractors Inc. specializes in parking garages and other cast-in-place concrete structures.

"Contractors are responsible for knowing and following recognized construction standards, and ensuring that all proper precautions are taken on job sites to prevent workers from being injured," pointed out Howard Ebertsthe, the OSHA area director in Cleveland. "OSHA is committed to protecting workers on the job."

Among the violations that OSHA found were: failure to properly design, construct, and maintain concrete forming and shoring; failure to prevent eccentric loading of shoring stringers; failure to secure shoring stringers to shoring heads; failure to sufficiently inspect forming and shoring before and through concrete placement; failure to guard all protruding reinforcing steel; and failure to ensure that workers use face protection while operating a pneumatic hose.

Meanwhile OSHA has proposed penalties totaling $45,000 for Zamco Inc., a cabinetry company in St. Hedwig, Texas, for 14 safety and health violations involving electrical, respiratory, and other work hazards. OSHA's San Antonio Area office sent in an inspection team this February as part of the agency's Site-Specific Targeting Program for enterprises deemed prone to have high injury and illness rates.

"This is not the first time that this employer has jeopardized the safety of its workers by exposing them to preventable hazards," lamented Jeff Funke, OSHA's area director in San Antonio. "It is the employer's responsibility to provide a safe and healthful workplace."

OSHA reported that Zamco committed a number of serious violations, including: failure to properly protect electrical wiring in the spray booth area; failure to provide machine guarding around equipment, for instance, an automated clamp carrier; failure to carry out an effective respiratory protection program; failure to give lockout/tagout procedures for power sources and to train workers on those procedures; and failure to make sure that work areas are free from saw-dust accumulation, which is combustible.

In addition, OSHA discovered a repeat violation: Zamco’s failure to ensure that the disconnect panel boxes are accessible. The company was cited for a similar violation in 2010.