U.S. Department of Labor Reaches Settlement Agreement Resulting in Paperboard Company Paying $175,000 in Penalties

NEW YORK, NY – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Carthage Specialty Paperboard Inc., have a reached a settlement agreement to improve efforts to prevent safety and health hazards in their Carthage, New York, facility. The company will pay $175,000 in penalties.

OSHA cited the Carthage-based paper milling company for 62 safety and health violations in June 2017. The agreement requires the company to enhance efforts to prevent hazards associated with machine guarding; lack of fall protection; hazardous energy control; confined space entry; emergency response; and electrical and structural safety issues.

The company will also train employees to recognize hazards; make safety and health evaluations a part of management performance appraisals; hire two full-time safety and health staff; perform weekly safety audits; submit periodic abatement progress reports to OSHA; and consent to monitoring inspections for two years.

United Steel Workers (USW) and USW Local 276, which elected third-party status in the case, also signed the agreement. Judge Dennis L. Phillips of the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission signed the order approving the settlement on Jan. 3. It became a final order of the Commission on Feb. 8.

“This settlement confirms that the company acknowledges the necessity of improving safety and health practices, as well as fostering a culture that supports safety among employees,” said OSHA Regional Administrator Robert D. Kulick.

“This resolution reinforces the critical importance of the company’s planning for workers’ safety and health and making it an essential part of the mill’s day-to-day operations,” said Regional Solicitor of Labor Jeffrey S. Rogoff.

Senior Trial Attorney Kathryn L. Stewart of the Regional Office of the Solicitor in New York litigated the case for OSHA.

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.