News Release
Department of Labor cites Pennsylvania dumpster manufacturer for exposing workers to widespread safety, health hazards
MILTON, PA – U.S. Department of Labor investigations found a Pennsylvania manufacturer of steel containers exposed employees to a wide range of safety and health hazards at its Milton facility.
The department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration opened an inspection in March 2023 at Custom Container Solutions as part of its site-specific targeting program that led to citations for two willful, three repeat, 23 serious and two other-than-serious violations. OSHA found the following deficiencies exposed employees to potential harm:
- Not providing welders with personal protective equipment at no cost to employees.
- Failing to establish and implement a respiratory protection program and not providing medical evaluations and training related to employees’ use of respirators.
- Failing to provide a hearing conservation program and hearing conservation training.
- Improper storage of flammable materials.
- Failing to complete assessments for personal protective equipment.
- Not establishing an energy control program.
- Failing to ensure proper machine guarding on metal working machinery.
- Using an unrated powered industrial truck in a flammable atmosphere.
- Electrical hazards including unmaintained welding leads and exposed live electrical parts.
Custom Container Solutions faces $484,401 in proposed OSHA penalties.
“Safety and health should be a core value in every workplace, and Custom Container Solutions is placing its workers in jeopardy by disregarding required protections,” said OSHA Area Director Mary Reynolds in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. “They must correct the hazards identified before someone gets hurt.”
With locations in Milton and Hadley, Pennsylvania, Custom Container Solutions manufacturers steel containers for customers in the waste, construction, recycling and energy industries.
The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA—as Custom Container has done—or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
Visit OSHA’s website for information on developing a workplace safety and health program. Employers can also contact the agency for information about OSHA’s compliance assistance resources and for free help on complying with OSHA standards.
