MACON, Ga. — The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has handed Kumho Tire Inc. and contractors with more than 20 citations after it repeatedly put employees at risk for injury.
According to a news release issued May 29 by OSHA, the citations came after a follow-up inspection and the three companies now face more than $523,000 in fines.
OSHA specifically cited Kumho Tire Georgia Inc. for things like exposing employees to fall and burn hazards, failing to follow procedures when employees were performing service and maintenance, failing to train employees on those procedures, and failing to provide machine guarding on equipment.
The total for those citations is $507,299.
OSHA cited Sae Joong Mold Inc. for using damaged slings and electrical hazards. Those proposed penalties are around $9,000.
OSHA also cited J-Brothers Inc. for exposing employees to smoke inhalation and burn hazards by not mounting fire extinguishers and doing annual maintenance on them. Those proposed penalties are around $7,500.
The follow-up inspection that led to the citations happened because OSHA did not receive abatement documents after a June 2017 inspection and citations.
The three companies now have 15 days to comply, meet with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings. Kumho has also been placed on the severe violator enforcement program.