Syracuse auto parts manufacturer fails to correct electrical, crushing and respiratory hazards

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Federal workplace safety and health inspectors have cited York Metal Toll Processing Inc. for exposing employees to uncorrected electrical, crushing and respiratory hazards, as well as recurring amputation hazards.

The Syracuse Area Office of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration opened two follow-up inspections at the company’s Syracuse manufacturing facility on March 14, 2016, after the employer failed to provide evidence that they corrected violations cited during previous OSHA inspections. One of the previous inspections occurred as a result of an employee’s hand being amputated by a power press.

Agency inspectors found that York Metal Toll Processing failed to:

• Ensure electrical equipment used in a powder coat booth conformed with electrical standards.
• Properly guard live electrical parts to prevent contact with energized circuits. 
• Safely remove powder coat via exhaust ducts to a powder recovery system.
• Adequately train workers performing inspections and maintenance on power presses.
• Inspect mechanical power presses.
• Ensure lockout/ tag out procedures were specific to equipment in the facility.
• Perform annual lockout/ tag out procedure inspections.
• Train employees who wear respiratory equipment, and provide medical evaluations to ensure that they can wear a respirator safely.
• Provide proper ventilation for welders working in spaces less than 10,000 cubic feet.
• Inspect steel slings used for hoisting.
• Maintain passageways and aisles in passable condition.

“York Metal Toll Processing has disregarded employee safety by failing to correct obvious electrical, crushing, and respiratory hazards, and also for allowing new and recurring hazards to exist,” said Chris Adams, OSHA’s area director in Syracuse. “For the safety and well-being of its employees York Metal Toll Processing must recognize the severity of these hazards and correct them once and for all.”

As a result of the follow-up inspections, OSHA has issued York Metal Toll Processing citations for failure to abate fourteen previously cited violations, four repeat violations, and three serious violations. The company faces proposed penalties totaling $218,502 for these violations. The company manufactures parts primarily used in the automotive industry.

The citations can be viewed here, here, and here.

York Metal Toll Processing 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 Syracuse office at (315) 451-0808.

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 https://www.osha.gov.