Region 5 News Release: 13-2070-CHI
Nov. 12, 2013
Contact: Scott Allen Rhonda Burke
Phone: 312-353-6976
Email: allen.scott@dol.gov burke.rhonda@dol.gov

US Department of Labor's OSHA cites Selfridge Air National Guard Base
for 8 violations including exposing workers to amputation hazards

HARRISON TOWNSHIP, Mich. – Selfridge Air National Guard Base has been issued eight notices of unsafe or unhealthful working conditions by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration, including a repeat amputation hazard violation. The inspection was conducted in accordance with the Federal Agency Local Emphasis Program. Selfridge Air National Guard Base is home to the Michigan Air National Guard.

"The Michigan Air National Guard failed to protect workers by ensuring the facility was in compliance with established safety and health procedures," said Larry Johnson, director of OSHA's Lansing Area Office. "All employers are responsible for noticing hazards in their facilities and for taking appropriate precautions by following OSHA standards."

The one repeat violation involves inadequate machine guarding to protect workers from amputation and other machinery hazards. A repeat violation exists when an employer previously has been noted for the same or a similar violation of a standard, regulation, rule or order at any facility within the last five years. The same violation was noted in January 2013 at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska.

A total of five serious violations were noted that involved failing to conduct annual periodic inspections of energy control procedures; develop specific procedures to control hazardous energy; provide workers with training on the energy control program; guard point of operation on machinery; and post signage about the hazards posed by permit-required confined spaces. A violation is noted as serious 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.

Two other-than-serious violations involve failing to certify the completion of a written personal protective equipment hazard assessment and properly maintain injury and illness logs. 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.

As required by the Occupational Safety and Health Act, federal agencies must comply with the same safety standards as private sector employers. The federal agency equivalent to a private sector citation is the Notice of Unsafe or Unhealthful Working Conditions. A notice is used to inform establishment officials of violations of OSHA standards and regulations. OSHA cannot propose monetary penalties against another federal agency for failure to comply with OSHA standards.

Selfridge Air National Guard Base employs 790 personnel and is located near Mount Clemens. The facility has 15 business days from receipt of the notices to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA's area director, or appeal the notices by submitting a summary of the agency's position on the unresolved issues to OSHA's regional administrator.

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 Lansing Area Office at 517-487-4996.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 and Executive Order 12196, the head of each federal agency is responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for agency employees. OSHA's role is to ensure these conditions for all federal employees 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.