People should not be in danger when they go to work. That’s a seemingly simple idea that I have tried hard to make a reality for workers across the state of Alabama and the country.
I have handled many workplace injury cases and sadly many workplace death cases that could have easily been prevented. I have worked to ensure that employers are required to install and maintain safety equipment, such as guards, around dangerous machines. I have taken cases where employers didn’t bother to train their workers about the dangers of the machines they use, and as a result those employers were injured.
The work we have done has led to increased awareness of the potential dangers that come with heavy equipment and have led to new regulations aimed at keeping workers safe.
Don’t get me wrong, most employers put employee safety at the top of their priority lists. But as a recent al.com article showcased, there are still employers that aren’t putting safety first.
Pyongsan America, an auto supplier in Auburn, was recently cited by the US Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for having conditions that could have led to workers being injured.
The problems OSHA found included:
- Failing to implement procedures to prevent machinery from starting while employees are servicing it
- Failing to periodically inspect energy control procedures for machines with multiple energy sources
- Failing to train employees to work with hazardous energy sources
- Improper machine guarding
Not only does Pyongsan face tens of thousands of dollars in fines, but it could end up in OSHA’s Severe Violators Enforcement Program which focuses on “repeat or willful violations.”
You can read more about the company and what OSHA had to say about the dangerous conditions at the plant on al.com.