December 24, 2015 – OSHA in the U.S. has again cited Resco Products Inc. (doing business as Worldwide Refractories) for exposing employees to electrical and other safety hazards.

Located in Pennsylvania, Resco is a manufacturer of dolomitic brick and specialty refractory products, which are used to line ladles in the steel industry. On December 18, 2015, OSHA issued citations for one repeat, 13 serious and two other-than-serious violations.

Most of the issued citations were related to electrical hazards, including forklift operators having to maneuver forklifts and hoppers too close to energized conductors; allowing the use of damaged motor control centres with bent and broken panels, switches and handles; and exposing employees to electric shock and arc flash hazards by allowing them to use defective electrical equipment and operate forklifts in proximity to electrical equipment.

“The failure to ensure that electrical equipment is maintained in a safe operating condition can be extremely dangerous and potentially deadly,” said Christopher Robinson, director of OSHA’s Pittsburgh Area Office. “Resco Products has not met its obligation as an employer and needs to do a much better job identifying and eliminating electrical hazards at its Tarentum facility.”

The proposed penalties equal $40,600.

This is the fourth time in the past two years that OSHA has cited the company for safety and health hazards. The company was previously cited in July 2015, October 2014 and August 2014.