Illinois Company Cited by OSHA for Five Health Violations

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited a Willowbrook, IL company with five health violations, four of which were repeat violations of OSHA’s respiratory protection and hearing conservation standards.

An inspection done in April of this year focused on OSHA’s National Emphasis Program on Silica, and brought the violations to light. The program examines worksites where employees are at risk for developing silicosis from exposure to dust containing respirable crystalline silica. Silicosis is a nonreversible and sometimes fatal lung disease that is caused by breathing in large amounts of silica.

The company that was cited is a waterproofing business that performs concrete restoration and repairs. Some of the violations found included failing to ensure that air compressors used to supply breathing are were equipped with high temperature and/or carbon monoxide alarms and failing to ensure an effective hearing conservation program was maintained. One serious violation that was found involved failint to annually conduct fit testing for workers who wear respirators. Proposed penalties for all violations total $56,700.