OSHA proposes fines of almost $400K for Paulsboro trucking firm
PAULSBORO - A federal safety agency has proposed penalties of more than $400,000 for a trucking company here.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited Dana Container after an investigation in response to a worker's complaint.
Dana Container, a nationwide business, leases trucking equipment and operates tank truck washes.
The company is working with OSHA "to resolve the findings," a representative said.
“The safety of all Dana associates is our No. 1 priority," said Gene Patten, the firm's vice president of safety and compliance,
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The investigation, which began in July 2023, found the firm did not properly maintain safety data sheets for chemicals including corrosives, OSHA said.
It also alleged chemical labels were not updated to reflect a container's new contents and eyewash stations were not properly maintained.
The firm also did not conduct medical evaluations for workers prior to respirator use, OSHA said in a Wednesday, Jan. 31, statement.
Citations were also issued for alleged failures to inspect joists and to establish a written hazard communication program.
The company also did not ensure safety requirements for the use of a fall protection system, OSHA claimed.
The agency noted Dana Container was cited for similar violations at a site iin Pennsylvania in 2019 and in Massachusetts last year.
“Dana Container continues to jeopardize the well-being of its workers by repeatedly disregarding federal safety and health laws and standards,” said Paula Dixon-Roderick, an OSHA official at the agency's regional office in Marlton.
The firm can comply with the proposed penalties of $437,860, request an informal conference with OSHA. or contest the allegations before an independent commission.
Jim Walsh is a senior reporter for the Courier-Post, Burlington County Times and The Daily Journal. Email: jwalsh@cpsj.com.
This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Dana Container cited for safety violations after OSHA investigation
