Prestress Services challenges OSHA silica, respiratory exposure claims

Sources: Occupational Safety and Health Administration; CP staff

Prestress Services Industries LLC (PSI), Columbus, Ohio-based producer of architectural or structural precast for building and transportation markets, will contest Occupational Safety and Health Administration-proposed penalties of $158,500 before the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. 

OSHA inspectors contend that a) sandblasting area sound levels in the producer’s Mount Vernon, Ohio, plant were above the permissible exposure limit; b) management failed to train, test, monitor and provide medical surveillance for employees exposed to high decibel conditions; and, c) PSI likewise exposed employees to silica, respiratory, machine, and electrical hazards. The agency proposes penalties of $5,115 to $11,934 in a single citation listing 15 violations deemed serious. 

“These hazards can cause workers to suffer immediate and long-term adverse health effects,” says OSHA Columbus Area Director Larry Johnson. “Employers must recognize the safety and health risks inherent to their work operations, and take necessary precautions to protect employees who perform those operations.”