New Jersey aluminum manufacturing company facing $1.9 million in OSHA penalties

Delair, N.J.-based Aluminum Services LLC is facing $1.9 million in fines after OSHA inspectors discovered 51 safety and health violations.

OSHA inspected the company’s facilities in January and cited the company after finding that two employees were hospitalized following two separate incidents.

In a statement, Robert Kulick, OSHA’s regional administrator in New York, said, “Aluminum Shapes’ extensive list of violations reflects a workplace that does not prioritize worker safety and health. The company can more effectively protect its workers by implementing a comprehensive safety and health management system.”

During the inspection, inspectors learned that one worker experienced chemical burns after entering a tank to drain residual sludge containing dehydrated sodium hydroxide, aluminum oxide, and decomposed metal. Despite employees reporting to supervisors that they were experiencing chemical burns, the workers were directed to re-enter the tank and suffered additional injuries.

The second incident occurred when a machine operator suffered a broken pelvis after being caught between the unguarded moving parts of a metal fabrication machine.

According to OSHA, Aluminum Services LLC committed willful violations for failure to:

• Provide appropriate personal protective equipment
• Conduct air monitoring prior to permit-required confined space entry
• Have an attendant during permit-required confined space entry
• Complete a required confined space entry permit to identify, evaluate, and control hazards in the space
• Provide confined space training
• Utilize proper lockout/tagout (control of hazardous energy) procedures
• Provide workers with locks and hardware to lock out equipment being serviced, maintained, or repaired
• Lack of specific procedures for the use of blocking devices
• Utilize group lockout procedures
• Train workers in lockout/tagout

OSHA cited the company for repeat violations including fall hazards, lack of stair rails, machine guarding, and electrical hazards. The company also received serious citations for inadequate ladders, inappropriate respiratory and hearing protection, insufficient entry permits, and lack of machine guarding and hazardous chemical training. In total, OSHA proposed penalties of $1,922,895.