A dry powder paint manufacturer in Montgomery County has been cited by the U.S. Department of Labor's
for 10 safety and health violations after two workers were injured within a month of each other, the agency said today.
At Ozark Materials LLC in Mount Meigs, one worker's arm was broken and the other got a laceration as a result of unguarded equipment, according to a complaint. OSHA' s inspection was initiated in December 2012.
Company representatives had no immediate comment on the violations.
One of the violations was classified as willful and involved the failure to provide machine guarding for the conveyor rollers on the mixer hoppers. A willful violation means it was committed with intentional, knowing or voluntary disregard for the law's requirements with plain indifference to worker safety and health.
"These injuries could have been prevented if the employer implemented the recommendations of a safety consultant to provide machine guarding for the conveyor rollers on the mixer hoppers," Joseph Roesler, OSHA's area director in Mobile, said in a prepared statement. "The employer needs to take immediate action to eliminate all hazards from the workplace."
OSHA's proposed penalties for the company total $41,600. Ozark Materials has 15 business days to comply, request a conference with OSHA or contest the findings.