June 2, 2015
May 26, 2015
Inspection site: 6300 Atlantic Blvd., Norcross, Georgia 30071
Date inspection initiated: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration initiated the Nov. 20, 2014 inspection after receiving a complaint alleging workplace safety hazards.
Inspection findings: OSHA issued the employer 18 serious safety and health citations for exposing workers to hazards. Violations include failing to ensure machines don’t accidentally start up while workers are performing service, maintenance and repairs; not removing forklifts with defective safety equipment from service and not training workers on the hazards of exposure to formaldehyde. Other violations include failing to train temporary workers on the hazards of using chemicals and not providing safety data sheets for chemicals being used.
Johnson Service Group and Randstad North America Inc. provided Panolam Industries with temporary workers, while the laminating company provided daily supervision, training and direction for the temporary workers employed at the facility. OSHA concluded an inspection with Johnson Service Group and Randstad North America and did not issue citations to the staffing agencies.
Quote: “Taking defective safety equipment out of rotation should be a no-brainer. When employers fail to address workplace hazards, workers are put at risk of illness, serious injury or even death,” said William Fulcher, OSHA’s director of the Atlanta-East area office. “This inspection underscores the need for workers to inform OSHA of workplace hazards because no one should have to work in dangerous conditions just to make a living.”
Proposed penalties: $79,650
The citations can be viewed at: https://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/osha/OSHA20151013fs.pdf* https://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/osha/OSHA20151013Bfs.pdf*
Panolam Industries has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to comply, request a conference with OSHA’s area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
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 Atlanta-East Area Office at 770-493-6642.
