Region 6 News Release: 12-2329-DAL
Nov. 29, 2012
Contact: Elizabeth Todd Juan Rodriguez
Phone: 972-850-4710 972-850-4709
Email: todd.elizabeth@dol.gov rodriguez.juan@dol.gov

US Department of Labor's OSHA cites BCW Food Products in Dallas
with serious violations for exposing workers to amputations, other hazards

DALLAS – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited BCW Food Products Inc. in Dallas for 12 serious safety violations and one serious health violation for exposing workers to possible amputations and other hazards. Proposed penalties total $53,900.

OSHA's Dallas Area Office began its investigation June 4 at the company's facility on Denton Drive following a report that an employee had become trapped in a blending mixer while performing maintenance work. BCW Food Products is a manufacturing company that specializes in custom mixes, bases and concentrates. It has three facilities in Texas and seven warehouses in Arkansas, Louisiana, Colorado, Kansas, Utah, Illinois and Texas.

"This company failed to adequately protect its employees from possible amputations and other safety hazards," said Stephen Boyd, OSHA's area director in Dallas. "If OSHA's standards had been followed, it is possible that this life-threatening accident could have been avoided."

The safety violations involve failing to ensure the maintenance of floor openings, ensure adherence to lockout/tagout procedures for the energy sources of equipment, ensure the use of proper machine guarding on shaft ends and dough mixers, and establish a written exposure control plan for cleaning blood spills. The health violation is failing to develop and implement a hearing conservation program. A serious violation occurs when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.

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

To ask questions, obtain compliance assistance, file a complaint, or report 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 Dallas office at 214-320-2400.

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 ensure 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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U.S. Department of Labor news materials are accessible at http://www.dol.gov. The information above is available in large print, Braille or CD from the COAST office upon request by calling 292-693-7828 or TTY 292-693-7755.