91视频

Oregon’s Occupational Safety and Health (Oregon OSHSA) has fined a Tigard contractor for a string of safety violations, including four repeat offenses.

An inspection by the agency of multiple work operations run by Specialty Coatings Inc. found conditions that 鈥渆xposed workers to multiple hazards, including the potential for fire and severe burns, suffocation and lung disease,鈥� according to Oregon OSHA. Work operations involved in the complaints included handling flammable liquids, grinding concrete floors and applying potentially hazardous chemicals.

The inspection was carried out after the agency received multiple confidential complaints earlier this year about conditions at the company’s main Tigard office and warehouse and on job sites in Hillsboro and Portland.

Oregon OSHA found 13 violations during the inspection. These are related to allegations the company failed to properly handle and store flammable liquids, failed to provide a medical evaluation before requiring employee use of a respirator, and lacked a plan to control workers’ exposure to crystalline silica 鈥� a carcinogenic byproduct of concrete grinding.

鈥淭he numerous hazards identified in this case are preventable and controllable through practical measures that are available to employers,鈥� Oregon OSHA Administrator Michael Wood stated in a press release. 鈥淭here is no good reason to fail to implement them 鈥� much less to repeatedly fail to do so.鈥�

The resulting citation against Specialty Coatings carries a total proposed fine of $2,855.

The company’s owner, Jenci Bergen, told the 91视频 the violations are the result of a 鈥渄isgruntled鈥� former employee approaching Oregon OSHA after being dismissed. Also, Bergen believes the agency could be prioritizing enforcement of crystalline silica exposure regulations that took effect in 2018.

鈥淭he biggest violation was about respirator testing, but when they did the silica exposure we were within their limits,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here was nothing excessive. It was the fact that when we hired a new employee we didn’t have them go through the respirator testing program. From now on I’m going to have to cross my t’s and dot my i’s and make sure we have all our paperwork in order.鈥�