Region 5 News Release: 13-1499-CHI
Aug. 5, 2013
Contact: Scott Allen Rhonda Burke
Phone: 312-353-6976
Email: allen.scott@dol.gov burke.rhonda@dol.gov

OSHA cites Hoist Liftruck Mfg. with $235,800 for repeat safety violations at
Bedford Park, Ill., truck manufacturing center

BEDFORD PARK, Ill. – Hoist Liftruck Mfg. Inc. has been cited with 16 health and safety violations, carrying penalties of $235,800, after a March follow-up inspection at its Bedford Park manufacturing facility by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

"Failing to provide all employees with personal protective equipment, and not providing proper respiratory training, creates an atmosphere in which workers are vulnerable to illness and injury on the job," said Gary Anderson, OSHA's area director in Calumet City. "Hoist Liftruck has also demonstrated a lack of commitment to employee safety and health by failing to correct previous deficiencies OSHA found in past inspections."

Hoist Liftruck Mfg. was cited for two willful safety violations for failing to provide welding screens for workers exposed to welding arcs and for violations of the respiratory protection program. Those violations included failing to provide medical evaluations, fit test workers, maintain respirators in a sanitary condition, store them properly and provide training on their use prior to work assignments. A willful violation is one committed with intentional, knowing or voluntary disregard for the law's requirements, or with plain indifference to employee safety and health.

Four repeat violations involve failing to provide hazard communication training, ensure equipment is properly grounded, conduct daily and shift inspections of powered industrial vehicles and document monthly crane and hook inspections. 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. The same violations were cited in April 2012 at the Bedford Heights facility.

A total of 10 serious safety violations including failing to provide machine guarding; remove damaged powered industrial vehicles from service; conduct personal protective equipment assessments or provide adequate protective equipment; label chemical containers; provide hazard information; and failure to implement an effective hearing conservation program, including providing adequate hearing protection. 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.

The current citations may be viewed at: http://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/HoistSafetycitations8113.pdf* http://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/HoistHealthcitations8113.pdf*.

A manufacturer of heavy duty liftrucks, Hoist Liftruck Mfg. has 15 business days from receipt of the citations and notice of proposed penalties to contest them 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 Calumet City Office at 708-862-9656. 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.