OSHA Cites Brick Manufacturer for Exposing Workers to Respiratory Hazards

 

OSHA has cited Henry Brick Co. Inc.—a clay brick manufacturer based in Selma, Alabama—for serious violations, for exposing workers to silica crystalline respiratory hazards

According to a release dated Feb. 27, OSHA found multiple infractions at the company, including failure to implement engineering controls and provide adequate training on crystalline silica. Workers were exposed to airborne concentrations up to six-and-a-half times the permissible level without proper respiratory protection, potentially leading to lung diseases. 

“Crystalline silica can be deadly. Workers who are overexposed to it can contract incurable, progressively disabling and sometimes fatal illnesses. This is why employers must take every precaution to protect employees from this danger,” OSHA Area Office Director Jose Gonzalez in Mobile, Alabama, said in a statement. “Employers with questions about how to develop respiratory protection programs can contact our trained professionals for assistance.”

OSHA’s investigation concluded with the identification of 11 serious citations and the proposal of penalties totaling $124,212. Henry Brick Co. now has 15 business days to comply, request an informal conference, or contest the agency’s findings before an independent commission.

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