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Region 3 News Release: III-98-10-19-181-WVA
Monday, October 19, 1998
Contact: Kate Dugan, (215) 596-1147

The U.S. Labor Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Gatewood Products, LLC, of Parkersburg, W.Va., for alleged violations of safety and health standards and proposed $43,120 in penalties. The firm manufactures pallets and has 182 employees on site.

The company is being cited for 19 serious violations, with a proposed penalty of $36,120, and six other-than-serious violations with a penalty of $7,000.

According to Stanley H. Elliott, area director of the Charleston OSHA office, the serious violations include the company's failure to:

• use administrative and engineering controls to reduce noise level exposure

• develop and implement a hearing conservation program

• evaluate hearing protection and initiate training programs

• provide proper personal protective equipment

• implement and provide training on lockout/tagout procedures

• eliminate electrical hazards

"The company is also being cited because they did not maintain the OSHA 200 log which records injuries and illnesses," said Elliott. "The Lost Workday Injury rate (LWDI) for Gatewood in 1997 was 96. The average for this industry is 16."

The inspection was conducted between June and August 1998.

A serious violation involves a substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result and that the employer knew or should have known of the hazard.

The company has 15 working days from receipt of the citations to either decide to comply, to request an informal conference with the OSHA area director, or to contest the citations and proposed penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

The inspection was conducted by the Charleston OSHA area office, 405 Capitol St., Suite 407, Charleston, W.Va. 25301, telephone number (304) 347-5937.

This information will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD). Telephone: 1-800-927-9273.