Region 5 News Release: 13-2456-CHI
Dec. 26, 2013
Contact: Scott Allen Rhonda Burke
Phone: 312-353-6976
Email: allen.scott@dol.gov burke.rhonda@dol.gov

US Labor Department's OSHA fines Reliable Castings Corp. $293,700
for multiple violations at Sidney, Ohio, plant
Company placed in Severe Violator Enforcement Program

SIDNEY, Ohio – Reliable Castings Corp. has been cited by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration for 14 safety and health violations, carrying proposed penalties of $293,700. An inspection found workers were exposed to struck-by, crushing and amputation hazards at the Sidney, Ohio, aluminum die castings manufacturing facility.

"OSHA's inspectors found a facility with multiple hazards and where safety was continually compromised," said Kim Nelson, OSHA's area director in Toledo. "Reliable Castings Corporation has a responsibility to train its workers and to implement all required safety procedures."

One repeat violation was issued for failing to de-energize an industrial robot and implement lockout/tag out procedures prior to performing servicing and maintenance work on the equipment.

A repeat violation exists when an employer previously has been cited for the same or a similar violation of a standard, regulation, rule or order at any other facility in federal enforcement states within the last five years. A similar violation was cited in April at the same facility.

Four willful violations involved failing to develop lockout procedures for servicing and changing molds on various production cells, prevent exposure to molten aluminum splash hazards from the melting furnace, inspect chains on a daily basis and prevent use of an unapproved work platform to lift workers with the fork truck. A willful violation is committed with intentional, knowing or voluntary disregard for the law's requirement, or plain indifference to employee safety and health.

Eight serious violations involved failing to install guardrails near ovens and floor openings to prevent fall hazards, perform protective equipment assessments, require the use of face shields and hard hats, ensure adequate guarding on 21 machines in the foundry areas, provide lockout procedures, ensure use of an electrical cabinet is protected from water, label lifting devices with load capacities and provide safety data sheets to workers. An OSHA violation is serious if death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard an employer knew or should have known existed.

Reliable Castings Corp. was also cited for two other-than-serious violations for failing to have a hazard assessment certification and no load rating sign above a storage area. An other-than-serious violation is one that has a direct relationship to job safety and health, but probably would not cause death or serious physical harm.

The citations can be viewed at http://www.osha.gov/ ooc/citations/ReliableCastings_915799_914354_12_19_13.pdf.*

Due to the nature and severity of violations, the company has been placed in OSHA's Severe Violator Enforcement Program, which mandates targeted follow-up inspections to ensure compliance with the law. OSHA's SVEP focuses on recalcitrant employers that endanger workers by committing willful, repeat or failure-to-abate violations. Under the program, OSHA may inspect any of the employer's facilities if it has reasonable grounds to believe there are similar violations.

Reliable Castings Corp. is based in Sidney, Ohio, and employs about 140 workers at that facility and about 130 workers at its Cincinnati location. OSHA has inspected the company 14 previous times since 1999, resulting in the 56 cited violations.

The company has 15 business days from receipt of the citations to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA's area director, 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 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 Toledo Area Office at 419-259-7542.

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, audio tape or disc from the COAST office upon request by calling 202-693-7828 or TTY 202-693-7755.

* Accessibility Assistance Contact OSHA's Office of Communications at 202-693-1999 for assistance accessing PDF materials.