OSHA cites concrete manufacturer, which faces 89K in penalties

A Kenvil-based concrete manufacturer faces nearly $89,000 in penalties after citations from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration.County Concrete Corp. was cited after a July 19, 2016, follow-up inspection at an East Orange site, based on 2013 citations. In 2013, the company was cited for 18 safety and health violations, and given $153,900 in penalties. After the July inspection, OSHA issued citations alleging one repeat and two failure-to-abate violations, it said.

County Concrete now faces $88,544 in penalties.

OSHA said County Concrete had failed to conduct annual tests to ensure respirators fit properly, risking employee exposure to silica in the cleaning of concrete mixers.

In addition, the agency said, the company failed to develop and implement a written respiratory protection program, and failed to provide medical evaluations for employees required to wear respirators.

The company had been cited for these violations in 2013, OSHA said.

“Our follow-up inspection found that two County Concrete employees were exposed to silica above the permissible limit as they cleaned concrete mixers,” Kris Hoffman, director of OSHA’s Parsippany Area Office, said in a prepared statement. “In 2013,OSHA cited this company for these same hazards. Employers must bear the responsibility of fully complying with respiratory protection requirements to protect the safety and health of their workers.”

The company had 15 days from the receipt of the citations to accept or contest the penalties, or request a meeting with OSHA officials.