Region 5 News Release: 13-1145-CHI
June 24, 2013
Contact: Scott Allen Rhonda Burke
Phone: 312-353-6976
Email: allen.scott@dol.gov burke.rhonda@dol.gov

General Awning Co. issued 8 safety citations after follow-up inspection by
US Labor Department's OSHA finds company failed to correct previous violations

BROOKLYN HEIGHTS, Ohio – General Awning Co. has been cited by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration with eight safety violations, carrying proposed penalties of $48,800. An April follow-up inspection found the awning manufacturer had failed to abate six previous violations. Two repeat violations were also found at the Brooklyn Heights facility.

"Six months after the previous inspection, General Awning failed to correct the safety violations noted," said Howard Eberts, OSHA's area director in Cleveland. "Employers who are cited for failure-to-abate and repeat violations show a profound lack of commitment to worker safety and health and a lack of awareness about the dangers that exist in their facility."

Six failure-to-abate citations were issued for failing to correct deficiencies involving the lack of an energy control program, written hazard communication program and training for workers, training for forklift drivers, availability of safety data sheets for chemicals utilized in the facility and markings for overhead storage locations indicating approved load capacities. The same violations were cited in an October 2012 inspection.

Additionally, two repeat violations were cited for failure to ensure all necessary machine guarding was present and affixed to machinery. OSHA issues repeat violations if an employer previously was cited for the same or a similar violation of any standard, regulation, rule or order at any other facility in federal enforcement states within the last five years. The company was cited for these violations in October 2012, but the attempted abatement was found not adequate.

General Awning Co. has 15 business days from receipt of the citations and notice of proposed penalties to contest the citations and proposed penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. If the company does not file or contest within that period, it must abate the cited conditions within the period ordered in the citations and pay the proposed penalties.

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 Cleveland Area Office at 216-615-4266.

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.