Region 5 News Release: 10-458-CHI
April 19, 2010
Contact: Scott Allen
Phone: 312-353-6976
E-mail: allen.scott@dol.gov

US Labor Department's OSHA proposes $64,000 in penalties against Elk Grove, Ill.-based Ceva Freight for serious and repeat safety violations

ELK GROVE, Ill. - The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Ceva Freight LLC, a logistics and freight management solutions company for national and multi-national companies in Elk Grove, with $64,000 in proposed penalties for alleged serious, repeat and other-than-serious violations of federal workplace safety standards.

As a result of a January 2010 inspection, OSHA has cited the company with two serious violations and proposed a $10,000 penalty for not ensuring industrial trucks were properly inspected before use and for failing to provide legible name plates on the trucks. An OSHA violation is serious if death or serious physical harm can result from a hazard an employer knew or should have known exists.

Ceva Freight LLC also has received two repeat violations and a proposed $50,000 penalty for failing to provide proper load backrest extensions and to take trucks with safety defects out of service. A repeat violation is issued when an employer previously was cited for the same or similar violation of any standard, regulation, rule or order at any other facilities in federal enforcement states within the last three years.

Additionally, the company has been cited with two other-than-serious violations carrying a proposed $4,000 penalty for failing to record injury and illness on OSHA 300 forms and to provide those forms to OSHA when requested.

"Employees that work with and around powered industrial trucks face serious injury or even death if proper OSHA safety regulations are not followed," said OSHA Area Director Diane Turek in Des Plaines, Ill. "Those who ignore these safety regulations are inviting tragedy into the lives of their workers."

The company has 15 business days from receipt of its 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.

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 assure 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.

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