US Department of Labor finds El Paso machine shop, manufacturer willfully exposed employees to dozens of workplace safety, health hazards

EL PASO, TX – A U.S. Department of Labor workplace safety inspection at a prominent El Paso manufacturing company found the employer willfully exposed workers to the risks of amputation and permanent hearing loss and violated dozens of federal safety and health regulations.

Conducted under the department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s National Emphasis Program on amputations in the manufacturing industries, the inspection at Dynamic Tool Co. Inc. identified 58 violations, including two willful safety violations and one willful health violation. 

OSHA issued the willful safety citations because the company did not have machine guards in place to protect workers from the potential for amputations and other injuries related to nip points, rotating parts and flying chips and sparks. The agency issued a willful health citation for Dynamic Tool’s failure to establish and maintain an audiometric testing program and make testing available to employees exposed to excessive noise. 

“The workplace safety hazards our inspectors identified at Dynamic Tool Co. were widespread and deeply concerning given the company’s long history,” said OSHA Area Director Diego Alvarado in El Paso, Texas. “There is no excuse for allowing the dozens of safety and health failures we catalogued, many of which have the potential to cause employees serious and permanent injuries, or worse. Dynamic Tool must act immediately to protect its employees and comply with federal safety and health laws.”

In addition to the willful violations, OSHA cited Dynamic Tool for the following serious violations:

• Not installing lockout/tagout systems to prevent machines from sudden start-ups or movement.
• Failing to train employees on energy control procedures. 
• Storing materials improperly and allowing blocked passageways.
• Not removing unsafe powered industrial trucks from service. 
• Failing to enclose vertical or inclined belts and gears with required guards.
• Allowing serious electrical hazards related to flexible cords, junction boxes and fitting to exist.
• Not developing and implementing a noise monitoring program.

OSHA assessed Dynamic Tool with $596,221 in proposed penalties, amounts set by federal statute.

Founded in 1979 as a tool and die shop in El Paso, Dynamic Tool Co. Inc. is a privately owned machine shop and manufacturer of precision parts, close tolerance components, extrusion items and impact-extruded aluminum components. It is one of the nation’s leading producers of cylindrical and elliptical cans serving customers in the automotive, military and medical industries.

The company has 15 business days from receipt of citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.                                                       

Learn more about OSHA, how to protect workers from exposure to amputations and occupational noise exposure.