Employees at Connecticut steel foundry exposed to electrical, chemical, mechanical and fire hazards and lack of protective equipment

HARTFORD, Conn.  – Employees at PCC Structurals-Groton faced the risk of chemical burns, fire, lacerations, amputations, electric shock and other injuries, inspections by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration have found.

“Our inspections identified a disturbing cross-section of hazards that could result in eye, face or body injuries, burns, or hearing loss for employees at the Groton location, as well as potential fires or explosions. It’s imperative for the health and well-being of its employees that PCC Structurals takes comprehensive, effective and ongoing corrective action to eliminate these hazards,” said Warren Simpson, OSHA’s area director in Hartford.

Located at 839 Poquonnock Road, the Groton facility is a steel-investment casting foundry that casts components for aerospace, energy, and commercial applications. Among the hazards identified during OSHA’s inspections:

• Lack of hand, face and body protection for employees working on or near electrical equipment.
• Exposed live electrical parts; misused electrical equipment and power cords; inadequate working space around electrical panelboards; and an ungrounded extension cord.
• Unguarded points of operation of hydraulic presses.
• Failure to inspect energy control procedures periodically to prevent the unintended startup of machinery during maintenance and cleaning.
• No program to inspect chain alloy slings used to lift materials and equipment.
• Lack of emergency eyewashes where employees worked with corrosive chemicals.
• Inadequate safety glasses for employees working with chemicals.
• Inadequately labeled containers of hazardous chemicals.
• Flammable liquids not stored in closed containers; improper disposal of combustible waste.
• Unsecured compressed gas cylinders.
• Incompatible chemicals stored together in a cabinet.
• Employees exposed to high noise levels not provided with a choice of hearing protection.

As a result of these conditions, OSHA cited the company for 20 serious violations of workplace safety and health standards on Feb. 19, 2016, with proposed penalties of $90,000. OSHA earlier cited the facility on Jan. 5 for two serious violations concerning inadequate fall protection equipment and an unprotected table saw. Fines of $14,000 were proposed for those violations.

The citations can be viewed here, here and here

The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to comply, meet with OSHA's area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

To ask questions, obtain compliance assistance, file a complaint, or report amputations, eye loss, workplace hospitalizations, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, the public should call OSHA’s toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742) or the agency’s Hartford office at 860-240-3152.