Georgia truck repair company exposes employees to falls, blocked exits and other workplace hazards; OSHA proposes $70K in penalties

Employer name: CS Truck & Trailer Repair Services Inc.

Inspection site: 6575 Marshall Blvd., Lithonia, Georgia 30058 

Citations issued: The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued citations to the employer on March 11 for 19 serious and four other-than-serious safety and health violations.

Investigation findings: The employer received serious violations for the following hazards:

• Failing to provide written energy-control procedures to protect workers from machine start ups during repairs or maintenance.
• Not developing or implementing a written hazard communication program.
• Allowing workers to use broken and damaged ladders.
• Exposing employees to fall hazards up to 9 feet.
• Blocking emergency exits with vehicle parts and other debris.

One other violation involves employees operating powered industrial trucks that were not trained or reevaluated at least once every three years. 

Proposed penalties: $70,000

Quote: “Employers must not wait for an OSHA inspection to identify the hazards that expose their employees to serious injury or worse, said William Fulcher, OSHA’s area director in the Atlanta-East Office. “Good business means implementing preventive programs and systems to ensure such hazards are identified and corrected as part of the day-to-day operations.”

The citations can be viewed at:

http://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/legacy-files/documents/newsroom/releases/OSHA20160446.pdf

CS Truck and Trailer is a full-service tractor, trailer and truck repair facility specializing in medium- and heavy-duty over-the-road tractor and trailer repairs. The employer has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to comply, request a conference 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 Atlanta-East Area Office at 770-493-6644.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to ensure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.