Failure to Identify Safety Hazards Results in Fines for Alabama Company

An Alabama auto parts manufacturer is facing huge fines because they "...failed to identify and correct hazards to ensure the safety and health of their employees,” according to the US Department of Labor.

Arkal Automotive USA Inc., which faces $47,857 in proposed penalties, allegedly exposed its employees to moving parts hazards as well as exposure to hazardous energy.  One of the most obvious failures in this case is the fact that the company simply did not identify the hazardous conditions in the first place.

Conducting proper hazard evaluations is paramount to an effective safety program. Failure to do so will result in woefully inadequate conditions for workers which could possibly put them at risk for injury or death.  

In this case, OSHA was alerted via a complaint, and investigators were dispatched to the site to check it out. That's when they found that the employer was exposing workers to amputation and electrical hazards.