When it comes to safety in the work place, identifying and assessing all possible hazards around the work area is essential. Unfortunately, some companies learn this the hard way, as such is the case with Major Wood Products LLC, a manufacturer of wood pallets in Carrollton.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has proposed penalties of $50,200 against the company. The violations were revealed during an inspection of the company's Carrollton facility in May. It was part of OSHA's Site-Specific Targeting Program, which targets the nation's most hazardous workplaces for inspection based on their histories of having high numbers of injuries and illnesses.

Andre Richards, director of OSHA's Atlanta-West Area Office, stressed the focus of a better facility when he stated that "Employers must focus on workplace safety and not ignore dangerous situations."

The company was cited with 13 severe safety and health violations, carrying a full amount of $32,200 in penalties. These penalties include employees using machines that are missing safety guards, exposing staff to unnecessary noise without providing regular audiograms, and it goes to the extreme by exposing employees to electrical hazards from ungrounded equipment and unsuitable use of extension cords.

There have also been up to three repeat violations totaling up to $18,000 in penalties due to the company operating with unguarded floor openings that could allow employees to fall into production equipment, not following appropriate lockout procedures that will prevent employees from being caught in moving equipment, and also not providing employees with satisfactory training in recognizing unsafe energy sources. OSHA issues repeated citations when an employer has been cited previously for a significantly comparable violation, and that citation and its penalty have become final.

The company has a minimum of 15 working days from the receiving of the citations to contest them and the proposed penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.