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The US Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) filed for an inspection warrant for a Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) facility in Pennsylvania, according to CumberLink.com.
Dairy Farmers of America is a farmer-owned cooperative with a commercial division that manufactures dairy products. OSHA inspectors were denied entry to a DFA facility near Harrisburg on January 21 of this year when they arrived for an unannounced inspection, which naturally raised suspicions.
“Many companies, including DFA, routinely require that OSHA plant inspections be conducted pursuant to a search warrant,” says DFA director of media Kristi Dale. “The warrant has since been obtained and an OSHA inspection took place. The results of that inspection are pending.”
Regional OSHA Director Kevin Kilp noted he cannot comment on open investigations. According to OSHA reports, the investigation came about as a result of complaints by current employees about inadequate forklift training, standing water, puddles of conveyor belt lube and open electrical cabinets.
It is convenient that the facility cited policy and turned away OSHA inspectors after their employees alleged these complaints. DFA needs to comply with all OSHA safety regulations and allow them to inspect their facility to ensure safety and prevent workplace injury. That is the point of an unannounced inspection—to ensure that the daily work environment is safe. If you give the facility a heads up, it kind of defeats the purpose.
Larrimer & Larrimer, LLC—Columbus workers comp attorneys.