Atlanta, GA – OSHA has fined American Air Filter Co. Inc. $119,900 for allegedly failing to provide proper machine guarding to protect employees from amputation hazards and not following safety procedures to prevent unexpected startup of machinery during maintenance and servicing, known as Lockout/Tagout.
These violations have landed American Air Filter on the OSHA‘s Severe Violator List “for demonstrating indifference to its OSH Act obligations to provide a safe and healthful workplace for employees.”
Having equipment specific lockout procedures written for each piece of equipment is required by OSHA, and is the cornerstone of a compliant lockout/tagout program. The lockout procedures provide detailed instruction on how to isolate and lock each energy source for a given piece of equipment, helping to prevent the unexpected startup or energization of machinery and equipment, as well as preventing the release of hazardous energy during service or maintenance activities.
“This is the second significant enforcement action we’ve conducted at AAF International in the last six months,” said Bill Fulcher, director of OSHA’s Atlanta-East Area Office. “We found the same type of hazards during a recent inspection in a different area at the same plant. Management continues to allow workers to clean equipment without following safety procedures and without guards being properly installed.”
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