OHSA

Archbold firm fined $147,600 for 16 alleged safety offenses

10/28/2013

ARCHBOLD, Ohio — The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has proposed penalties of $147,600 against an Archbold company for 16 alleged safety violations.

Napoleon Spring Works Inc., which makes garage door hardware, has 15 business days to contest the findings, request a conference with OSHA’s area director, or pay the fine.

Among the allegations is that there were not proper guards on machinery to prevent amputations.

OSHA said it inspected the company’s Archbold facility in April because of complaints about multiple safety hazards. The inspection was expanded under OSHA’s national emphasis program on amputations and local emphasis program for powered industrial vehicles.

“Our inspection found that employees were exposed to injury and amputation risk in this facility because of insufficient guarding at the point of operation of various machines,” said OSHA Area Director Kim Nelson in Toledo. “Amputation hazards are one of the leading causes of injury in manufacturing. Napoleon Spring Works must be aware of workplace hazards and take all precautions to protect its workers.”

One violation, for failing to guard two of the company’s mechanical power presses, was considered a willful violation, which is one committed with intentional, knowing, or voluntary disregard for the law’s requirements, or with plain indifference to employee safety and health.

Fifteen serious violations include allegations of insufficient procedures or training.

Napoleon Spring Works is a subsidiary of Lynx Industries Inc., based in Canada. It has 150 workers in Archbold, and 160 at facilities in New Jersey and Arizona.