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The former General Motors plant in Moraine was recently acquired in 2014 and is now the Fuyao Glass America plant. However, the plant is already running into trouble with the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) and is being fined $14,000 for two serious safety violations within the plant.
The serious safety violations include not providing proper machine guarding, which prevents machines from catching employee hands. Additionally, the Fuyao plant was cited for not securing floor coverings over grates, which can create a fall hazard.
The Fuyao Plant is Working With OSHA to Make Safety Improvements
Though none have been injured at the Fuyao glass plant, OSHA inspectors can be seen at the plant regularly to help make the plant a safer place. Though the Fuyao plant president admits, the plant floor does become damaged as more heavy pieces of equipment is installed. Moreover, the glass plant size is larger than 1.5 million square feet. The president advocates that with a plant this size still undergoing construction, problems will arise, but assures local news outlets that the company is working quickly to resolve the issues OSHA inspectors find.
According to a report from MyDayton Daily News, there were a total of 266 reported amputations in Ohio last year across the state. However, glass plant workers are not just at risk for amputations. Workers are also at risk for burns, lacerations, respiratory hazards and physical stress. In a previous blog posted just last month, we discussed how a glass plant worker from a different glass making company in Lancaster lost his life due to unsafe conditions.
Fuyao Glass America is scheduled for an informal conference with the OSHA area office to present evidence showing they have made the appropriate improvements to workplace safety in hopes that OSHA reduces the fine. That being said, it is good to see the Fuyao glass making plant taking some initiative and working with OSHA to make changes necessary to keep its workers safe. We hope other plants and factories in Ohio will follow suit.
Larrimer & Larrimer, LLC is a workers’ compensation law firm that fights for victims of workplace accidents in the Columbus, Newark, Shadyside and Zanesville areas of Ohio.
Source: http://www.mydaytondailynews.com/news/news/osha-levies-possible-fines-at-fuyao/nq9P3/