Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Northwest labor press. (Portland , Ore.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (April 16, 2010)
April 16, 2010:NWLP 4/13/10 10:04 AM Page 3 OR-OSHA Enforcement Activity for Calendar Years 2000-2009 INSPECTIONS VIOLATIONS & PENALTIES ASSESSED Safety Health Total 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 4,399 4,823 4,730 4,460 4,288 4,091 4,090 4,163 4,331 4,572 680 848 793 821 816 738 900 898 952 933 5,386 5,671 5,523 5,281 5,104 4,829 4,990 5,061 5,283 5,505 Employers % In Compliance Covered 166,158 199,891 199,160 210,171 228,067 268,095 370,162 239,951 207,972 190,682 24.3 24.8 23.9 23.0 24.9 22.2 26.8 24.9 23.9 24.5 No. 4,080 4,757 4,312 4,222 4,181 4,334 4,046 4,163 4,649 4,865 $ Penalty $1,498,274 $1,540,605 $1,522,055 $1,596,322 $1,477,010 $1,386,025 $1,393,915 $1,517,850 $1,697,848 $1,775,998 Willful Repeat Serious Year of Inspection No. 244 258 203 219 213 231 261 274 224 170 $ Penalty $460,450 $396,630 $303,390 $475,130 $383,555 $458,900 $756,550 $661,100 $486,975 $377,430 No. $ Penalty 4 2 2 0 2 2 0 2 2 10 $130,000 $45,000 $100,000 $0 $120,000 $140,000 0 $30,000 $50,000 $700,000 Other No. 6,464 8,440 7,292 7,177 7,142 6,205 5,657 5,693 5,721 6,416 $ Penalty $175,110 $288,845 $252,785 $251,025 $192,815 $178,165 $228,375 $233,725 $203,695 $77,270 Citations Issued 3,933 4,093 4,034 3,893 3,832 3,755 3,653 3,801 4,020 4,157 Data include inspections opened during calendar years 2005-2009. 2009 data is subject to change as inspections are completed over time. Source: Information Management Division, Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services, March 31, 2010 OR-OSHA fines Americold $740K for serious safety violations SALEM — Last year, the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Ad- ministration (OR-OSHA) slapped Americold Logistics, a national refrig- erated warehouse operation, with a $740,400 fine for 10 willful safety vio- APRIL 16, 2010 lations, four serious repeat violations, and 22 other serious violations of the Oregon Safe Employment Act at its fa- cility at 9501 S.E. McLoughlin Blvd., Milwaukie. Americold Logistics is one of five Oregon locations for the At- lanta-based corporation. It was the fourth highest penalty is- sued in the agency’s history. The citations have been appealed. The safety and health violations were found during an inspection Sept. NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS 16, 2009. The bulk of the violations were related to how the company man- aged the safety and maintenance of ammonia systems used in its commer- cial refrigeration system. “By not having proper safeguards in place to contain ammonia, the com- pany was putting workers in serious danger of injury or death due to a ma- jor chemical release or explosion,” Oregon OSHA found. Ammonia can cause severe alkaline chemical burns to skin, eyes, and the respiratory system. If a chemical leak occurs, ammonia released from such a system will expand rapidly, making it difficult to contain. Among other issues, the inspection identified excessive ice buildup, creat- ing the potential for system damage and in some cases encasing valves, making it difficult, if not impossible, to close them in the event of an emer- gency. The inspection also identified significant corrosion of pipes and miss- ing drain valve plugs, making ammo- nia release more likely. OR-OSHA conducted an accident investigation at the Milwaukie location in 2007 after two employees were sent to the hospital following an ammonia compressor explosion. Eighteen viola- tions were issued. “Protecting workers from highly hazardous chemicals should be the re- sult of a credible program of inspec- tions, hazard identification, and pre- ventive maintenance to ensure the system’s integrity,” said OR OSHA Administrator Michael Wood. “The safety of the facility’s workers must not be left to chance.” Another critical component, he said, is accurately doc- umenting regular inspections and test- ing, to allow for appropriate tracking and follow-up. In the Americold facil- ity, the inspection found that company managers had documented the pres- ence of safety measures that were not in place. OR OSHA also cited Americold for violations of asbestos safety standards, due to damaged insulation. PAGE 3
