CWS 3.0: February 5, 2014

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Buyer Gets Brunt of OSHA Penalties

Continent workforce user HP Pelzer Automotive Systems Inc. faces $207,100 in proposed penalties for a citation at its facility in Thomson, Ga., OSHA reported. Staffing supplier Sizemore faces a proposed penalty of $6,000.

Pelzer makes outer dashes and hood liners for the auto industry at its Thomason facility. It employs 256 workers at the site, 176 of whom are temps.

“HP Pelzer continues to put workers at risk of serious injury or death by failing to correct unguarded equipment and other serious hazards,” said Bill Fulcher, director of OSHA’s Atlanta-East Area Office. “Additionally, Sizemore must work proactively with its client to ensure temporary workers receive appropriate safety and health training.”

Pelzer and Sizemore have 15 days from receipt of the citations to comply with or contest the filings.

OSHA cited Pelzer for 11 serious violations. Pelzer was also cited for three repeat violations associated with previous inspections in 2008 including workers being exposed to amputation and laceration hazards because of lack of guarding on machine parts.

OSHA began its inspection in July after complaints alleging hazards at Pelzer’s site.

Staffing supplier Sizemore was cited for not providing temporary workers with training regarding formaldehyde. OSHA cited Sizemore because the firm’s contract with Pelzer called for it to provide some training for temps prior to their assignments.

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration has an ongoing initiative to improve safety for temporary workers. Temps accounted for 16 percent of work injuries in 2012, according to statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.