Goodyear US Factory Cited for Safety Violations

The US Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) may penalise Goodyear US$52,000 for five safety violations it discovered during an inspection of the company’s facility in Social Circle, Georgia. Inspectors from the Administration noted two repeat violations, for which they proposed penalties of $42,500 after it became apparent that management had not performed certified periodic inspections of its energy control procedures, and that a production machine lacking proper safety guards was in use. Goodyear had been cited for similar failures after an inspection at the same facility in 2006.

“OSHA expects management to take a proactive approach to employees’ safety,” said Gei-Thae Breezley, director of the agency’s Atlanta-East Area Office. “Dangerous situations can be avoided if management conducts periodic inspections of their equipment and facilities as required by federal law.”

OSHA also cited Goodyear for two serious safety violations, with proposed penalties of $8,500 for using defective electrical cabling that exposed employees to the risk of electric shock. An “other-than-serious” violation was proposed, with a $1,000 penalty for failing to correctly maintain OSHA logs. The company has 15 business days from receipt of the citations to contest them and the proposed penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.