July 30, 2015

Plastics company exposes workers to combustible dust, corrosive chemicals
and other safety hazards
BWay Corp. in Bryan, Texas, cited by OSHA for 17 violations; $84K penalty

Employer name: BWay Corp.

Location: Bryan, Texas

Date citations issued: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued the citations on July 30, 2015. The inspection was opened in February in response to a complaint of unsafe working conditions.

Investigation findings: BWay was cited for 16 serious violations for failing to control accumulations of combustible dust, provide proper personal protective equipment for corrosive chemical splashes, ensure circuits were machines would not start up during servicing, and repair recognized electrical hazards. A repeat violation involves failing to ensure workers would not be exposed to electrical shock from live electrical parts.

Proposed penalties: OSHA proposed $84,000 in fines.

View citations at: http://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/BWayCorporation_1037287.pdf and
http://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/BWayCorporation_1037332.pdf

Quote: "Failing to maintain electrical equipment, provide personal protective equipment for corrosive chemicals, and control accumulations of combustible dust are serious safety and health hazards with severe consequences for exposed employees," said Casey Perkins, OSHA's area director in Austin. "Fortunately this inspection has addressed the issues and prevented some potentially severe injuries."

Information: BWay, which employs approximately 94 workers at its plant in Bryan, has 15 business days from receipt of its citations to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA's area director in Austin, or contest the citations and penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

To ask questions, obtain compliance assistance, file a complaint or report amputations, losses of an eye, workplace hospitalizations, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, the public should call OSHA's toll-free hotline at 800-321- OSHA (6742) or the agency's Austin office at 512-374-0271.

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Media Contacts:

Diana Petterson, 972-850-4710, petterson.diana@dol.gov
Juan Rodriguez, 972-850-4709, rodriguez.juan@dol.gov

Release Number: 15-1496-DAL

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