OSHA has cited Stockbridge, Ga.-based carpet restoration, plumbing, and resurfacing contractor Creative Multicare for exposing employees to safety and health hazards after a fatal accident in Perry, Ga. The contractor faces $183,127 in penalties for the alleged safety violations.
An investigation into Creative Multicare was initiated because an employee suffered fatal injuries after inhaling lacquer thinner, which was used to resurface a bathtub. OSHA cited the contractor for failing to evaluate the chemical wash cleaning task and determine the workers' level of exposure to the lacquer thinner. Creative Multicare was also cited for improperly labeling mixtures used to clean and resurface bathtubs and countertops and for exposing employees to a concentration of toluene several times above permissible exposure limits. The company was also cited for allowing flash fire and explosion hazards, for failing to provide suitable facilities for quick drenching and flushing of the eyes and body, and for not performing a personal protective equipment assessment or using respirators properly.
“Employers must be vigilant in identifying and eliminating recognized safety and health hazards when allowing employees to work with hazardous chemicals,” OSHA acting Atlanta-East area Office Director William Cochran said in a prepared statement. “Employers that implement robust safety programs have a greater chance of ensuring their employees remain safe and healthy each day.”
Creative Multicare has 15 business days from receipt of the citations and proposed penalties to comply, request an informal conference with their OSHA area director, or contest the findings.
