Mantrose-Haeuser Company to Challenge OSHA Proposed Citations and Penalties

[Omaha Steve]

http://compliancehome.com/news/OSHA/12168.html

(Jan 28, 2008)--The Mantrose-Haeuser Company reported that it intends to challenge several of the proposed citations and penalties issued by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration involving the company's Attleboro, Mass., operations.

"The safety and well-being of our employees is, and has been our top priority, and we are committed to doing whatever we can to prevent accident or injury," said Brian Terando, plant manager. "We have been meeting and fully cooperating with OSHA throughout its review of our operations. However, we respectfully disagree with the nature of some of its findings.There is no basis on which to characterize any actions as either 'willful'
or 'repeat.'"

OSHA's plantwide inspection of the Attleboro facility followed an industrial accident in July 2007 involving a dust-collection machine, which seriously injured a Mantrose-Haeuser employee.

"The company took immediate corrective actions following the accident to improve the safety of the dust-collection process, including installing additional protection, implementing new operational procedures and updating our training programs," said Terando. "We continuously evaluate our operations to identify and implement practices to improve employee health and safety throughout the plant."

As allowed by law, Mantrose-Haeuser has requested an informal settlement conference with OSHA. The company also has the option of contesting the agency's citations and proposed penalties before the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission in Washington, D.C. The OSHRC is an independent Federal agency that serves as the court system to adjudicate disputes between employers and employees and OSHA.