Texas Work Injury Results In $182,550 in Penalties

DALLAS -- A Greensboro, N.C., company's alleged failure to protect employees with adequate fall protection equipment at its Killeen, Texas, worksite has resulted in proposed penalties of $182,500 from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The inspection resulted from a complaint when a worker was injured at the company's Killeen worksite. The company, which manufactures mobile homes, employs about 9,000 workers nationwide. In November, as part of a Chapter 11 restructuring, Oakwood Homes closed its plants and wholesale locations throughout Texas, including the Killeen plant, which employed about 280 workers.

The two alleged willful violations were cited for failing to provide fall protection equipment on open-sided platforms and roofs in accordance with OSHA standards. Oakwood Homes Corp. had several citations notifying them of requirements for guardrail systems in their other plants around the nation. A willful violation is defined as an intentional disregard of or plain indifference to the requirements of the OSHA Act and regulations.

The 16 alleged serious violations were issued for failing to follow lock out/tag out procedures (improper control of hazardous energy) and failing to provide protection against electrical hazards. A serious violation is one that could cause death or serious physical harm to employees and the employer knew or should have known of the hazard. The six alleged other-than-serious violations were issued for the improper storage of materials, which could create tripping hazards, and blocking the access to an exit. An other-than-serious violation is a hazardous condition that would probably not cause death or serious physical harm, but would have a direct and immediate relationship to the safety and or health of the employees.

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