Nearly 15 safety violations were handed over to Spears Mattress Company in Rome for failing to protect employees from work accidents in Georgia. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) conducted an inspection as a part of its Site-Specific Targeting Program. This program is part of the administration’s safety enforcement efforts on industries with higher-than-average injury rates. The proposed penalties for these citations totaled more than $45,000.Workers’ compensation provides an employee with compensation for lost wages and medical benefits in the event a work injury. Our Atlanta workers’ compensation attorneys understand that employers may not always keep the safety of employees as a top priority. It is critical for you to contact an experienced attorney if you’ve experienced an on the job injury.
Spears Mattress Company received safety violations for improper storage of oxygen and acetylene compressed gas cylinders, walking and storage areas cluttered with flammables and heavy equipment, a malfunctioning emergency exit sign, a drill press that was not secured to prevent movement during operation, allowing an employee to operate a forklift with nonfunctioning emergency brakes, fire extinguishers not mounted or identified, missing machine guards on equipment and improperly adjusted bench grinders.
In addition to those violations, OSHA also witnessed the following electrical hazards:
-A damaged flexible metal conduit.
-Electrical panel boxes with unclosed openings.
-An electrical box with a missing blank.
-An electrical conduit that was crushed and pulled apart.
-An electrical receptacle with a missing cover plate and hazards from improperly installed fluorescent lighting.
During the inspection, they also witnessed employees endangering themselves onsite. OSHA observed an employee washing parts in a solvent without using gloves. The company failed to determine whether employees needed personal protective equipment.
“Inspectors found violations that could easily result in a serious employee injury or death,” said Andre Richards, director of OSHA’s Atlanta-West Area Office. “OSHA will not allow employers to risk the safety of workers by exposing them to hazardous conditions in the workplace.”
Spears Mattress Co. manufactures mattresses at its plant in Rome. The company is licensed for Englander brand mattresses.
The company can fix the violations, request a conference with OSHA’s area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. Spears Mattress Company has 15 days from the receipt of the citations to decide its plan of action.
If you have experienced a serious injury at work in the Atlanta area and want to discuss your rights, contact the experienced Atlanta workers’ compensation attorneys at J. Franklin Burns. Call 404-920-4708 to make a free appointment to discuss your claim.
