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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.
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