The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupations Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has slapped Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. with $69,058 in fines and seven citations for endangering its employees.
OSHA investigators went to Goodyear’s Social Circle facility outside of Atlanta last August and found that the company did not provide effective protective equipment to employees exposed to burn hazards. The investigation also found that Goodyear did not have in place procedures for controlling hazardous energy during equipment maintenance operations; and that it exposed employees to burns from heated tire treads, and caught-in hazards from unguarded machines.
“Our inspection found multiple safety deficiencies that put employees at risk of serious injury or death,” said William Fulcher, OSHA Area Office Director in Atlanta. “Potential workplace hazards must be assessed and eliminated to ensure employees are afforded a safe work environment.”
The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
Goodyear did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the citations.
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees.
To read the document outlining Goodyear’s citations, click here.
