Region 5 News Release: 13-1147-CHI
July 1, 2013
Contact: Scott Allen Rhonda Burke
Phone: 312-353-6976
Email: allen.scott@dol.gov burke.rhonda@dol.gov

Regency Technologies fined $66,000 by US Labor Department's OSHA for
exposing workers to cadmium at Upper Sandusky electronics recycling facility

UPPER SANDUSKY, Ohio – RSR Partners, operating as Regency Technologies, has been cited by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration for 11 health and safety violations, carrying proposed fines of $66,000. Nine of the violations cited involve exposing workers to cadmium, a metal found in the components of some televisions and other electronics equipment, at the Upper Sandusky electronics recycling facility.

"Regency Technologies has a responsibility to protect workers from unique hazards found in its facility, such as cadmium, and to conduct the proper exposure and medical monitoring necessary to ensure that permissible exposure levels are not exceeded," said Kim Nelson, OSHA's area director in Toledo. "Exposure to cadmium can cause adverse health effects on the kidneys, lungs and bones."

Eight serious citations involve violations of OSHA's standards on exposure to cadmium, including overexposure; surface contamination; lack of personal protective equipment; engineering controls; training; medical surveillance; and established regulated areas and changing rooms for cadmium exposure.

Additionally, two serious health violations were cited for failing to train workers in bloodborne pathogen standards and lack of hepatitis B vaccinations for bloodborne pathogen exposure. 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.

One other-than-serious violation was cited for failing to post warning signs for cadmium regulated areas. 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 company 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 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.