• Home
• Workers
• Regulations
• Enforcement
• Data & Statistics
• Training
• Publications
• Newsroom
• Small Business

Region 8 News Release: 08-OSHA
Monday, February 22, 1998
Contact: Rich Kulczewski, (303) 844-1302

OSHA FINES SEALY MATTRESS COMPANY IN DENVER
$131,200 FOR 28 SAFETY AND HEALTH VIOLATIONS

Sealy Mattress Company, Denver, Colo., was cited Friday for 28 serious, repeat and other violations of the Occupational Safety and Health Act and issued proposed penalties of $131,200.

The citations were issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Denver area office following an inspection of Sealy's mattress manufacturing plant which began on September 1, 1998. The inspection was part of OSHA's Interim Plan for Inspection Targeting which is based on the employer's Lost Workday Injury and Illness Rate.

Bobby Glover, OSHA area director in Denver, said the violations resulted because the employer failed to have a comprehensive program which identified hazardous situations.

"It is not acceptable for an employer to maintain a workplace where employees are exposed to serious safety and health hazards on a daily basis," said Glover. "Numerous employees have sustained injuries and illnesses due to the employer not addressing basic safety and health hazards."

OSHA also cited Sealy Mattress a total of $28,500 for 13 serious violations including: failure to properly design exit doors; failure to provide employees training on emergency action; failure to provide employees training on the use of fire extinguishing equipment; failure to enforce the use of appropriate protective eyewear; failure to conduct initial employee exposure monitoring for methylene chloride; failure to label containers of chemicals; failure to provide chemical hazard training to employees; failure to provide or utilize safety belts during forklift operation; failure to maintain guarded gears on machinery; failure to use compressed air less than 30 p.s.i. for cleaning; failure to provide adequate electrical conduits; failure to cover exposed electrical conductors; and failure to cover open electrical grounds and unused electrical openings.

An employer may be cited for repeat violation if that employer has been previously cited within the past three years, for a substantially similar condition.

A serious violation is defined as one committed where there is substantial probability that death or physical harm could result and the employer knew or should have known of the hazard.

Sealy has 15 working days from receipt of the citations 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.