Massachusetts Workers' Compensation Lawyer Blog
The Philadelphia retail and car service company, Pep Boys, has been charged by the US Labor Department’s OSHA with repeat and serious citations. After an inspection at the company’s Hamden, Connecticut, facility, OSHA found that workers were exposed to numerous work safety hazards, including potential electric shock due to damaged power cords and laceration hazards due to the lack of a safety guard on a grinder. The company was previously charged with similar citations at their Orange facility in Connecticut, and were thus charged with $70,000 for these serious repeat violations. They were also charged with $5,000 for the lack of cover plates on electrical outlets and a snap switch box.
OSHA’s Area Director in Bridgeport, Robert Kowalski, said “The size of these fines reflects the fact that Pep Boys previously was cited for a number of similar hazards at its Orange, Conn., location…It would be to the benefit of its workers’ safety companywide for this employer to determine if similar hazards exist at other stores and to eliminate them if they do.” Here in Massachusetts, Pep Boys has facilities in Everett, Dedham, Salem, Springfield, and West Springfield.
OSHA issues a serious citation when there is a significant probability that death or physical harm could happen from a workplace safety hazard that the employer knew about and/or should have already fixed. OSHA issues a repeat citation when the employer was previously cited for the same or similar violations of workplace safety within the last five years.
If you have been injured at work, feel free to contact one of our experienced lawyers for a free consultation.
Source:
US Labor Department’s OSHA cites Pep Boys for machine guarding and electrical hazards at Hamden, Conn., location, OSHA Regional News Release, March 3, 2011
Contact the Massachusetts work injury lawyers at Altman & Altman if you have been injured on the job.
