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The US Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited the US Navy for safety violations after the Navy exposed hundreds of workers to dangerous and toxic materials, according to The Washington Post. OHSA officials determined that a contamination at an aircraft facility in Coronado, California exposed workers to toxic materials, including lead, cadmium and beryllium.
OSHA cited 21 serious violations at the facility. It determined that a “substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.”
Jay Vicory, regional OSHA director in San Diego, said that OSHA inspected the facility after workers complained about the conditions. OSHA plans to recommend a full assessment of the facility from the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, which operates under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Michael Furlano, Navy spokesperson, assured reporters that the Navy is taking steps to implement an “extensive plan to address the problem.”
“Exposing workers to metals such as lead, cadmium and beryllium can result in serious illness and even fatal respiratory disease,” Vicory said. “We are encouraged by the Department of the Navy’s response to OSHA’s intervention, and we are working cooperatively with that department to further mitigate the hazards uncovered.”
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