Feds fine Burlington County company for safety violations
Federal safety inspectors recently cited a Burlington County linen rental business with 37 serious workplace safety violations and 11 other violations. The proposed fines against the business total $126,875, which reflects the many ways that the 75 workers at the Palmyra facility were exposed to serious personal injuries.
A serious New Jersey workplace accident is often attributable to the negligence of an employer. While workers continually use caution despite the sometimes deficient safety measures of their employers, workplace accidents do happen. When a workplace accident happens it is important to consult with an experienced medical professional and a workers’ compensation attorney.
A workers’ compensation attorney with an understanding of personal injury law can help injured New Jersey workers obtain the compensation that they are entitled to. Worker’ compensation benefits can help an injured worker pay for the medical bills and lost wages often associated with a serious workplace accident.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration says that the linen rental business failed to provide its workers with adequate safety training and machine guarding. Workers were also exposed to injury from electrical hazards, forklifts, and falls from unguarded stairs and platforms. Additionally, OSHA inspectors say that worker injuries and sicknesses were not properly documented.
“One means of preventing hazards such as these is for employers to establish an injury and illness prevention program in which they work with their employees to identify and eliminate hazardous conditions,” said Robert Kulick, an OSHA regional administrator.
The company has 15 days to challenge its citations or appeal.
Source: OSHA, “US Labor Department’s OSHA proposes more than $125,000 in fines to Palmyra, NJ, linen rental company for workplace safety and health hazards,” Region 2 News Release: 11-1804-NEW (osha 12-003), Jan. 10, 2012
