Page 37 - Plastics News April 2018

internAtionAL news

OSHA to fine Douglas Stephen Plastics $435,000

he U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration the company corrected issues the agency identified and
Tis proposing fines totaling $435,000 against New said OSHA has never had to come to the company because
Jersey packaging firm Douglas Stephen Plastics Inc. for of a workplace accident "Nobody has ever been hurt here,"
a series of rules violations it said expose employees Graff said. "It's ridiculous what they came up with." OSHA
to amputation and electrical hazards. The agency is released a 35-page report detailing its findings, including
proposing a $116,402 fine for violations of energy control for the three largest fines.
rules and listed four machines where it said employees
were exposed to amputation and electrical shock hazard
during maintenance and other operations, and said "the Marine biologist launches
equipment was not locked out [and] tagged out." OSHA campaign in Cairns
also proposed a fine of $99,770 because the company "did
not ensure that each powered industrial truck operator
marine biologist is waging a one-woman campaign
A against disposable polypropylene straws on the
Great Barrier Reef in Cairns Australia. Nicole Nash
was working on the reef as a cruise attendant and a
marine biologist, and was worried the reef's millions of
visitors were unaware of their environmental impact
is competent to operate" the equipment safely, with and problems like coral bleaching. Just over a year ago
demonstrated successful training. The complaint also said she launched a campaign called "The Last Straw on the
OSHA is proposing another $116,402 in fines for violating Great Barrier Reef," which aims to get rid of disposable
machine guarding rules, and it identified several machines drinking straws used by businesses and commercial
where employees faced amputation hazards: "One or more cruise vessels operating on and within a 125 mile radius
methods of machine guarding was not provided to protect of the reef. Cairns-based Nash works full time in visitor
the operator and other employees. The company, which management for the Queensland National Parks and
according to its website is an injection molder and vacuum Wildlife Service, but in her lunch breaks, at weekends
former of disposable food packaging in Paterson, N.J.,
said it would appeal. President Douglas Graff called the and after work, she visits cruise vessel operators,
complaint "ridiculous" and said the company has a good accommodation
safety record. venues, tourist
attractions and
OSHA said it inspected the company October 2, 2017 in r es taur ants ,
response to a complaint about unsafe workplace hazards asking them to
and "imminent danger" from blocked emergency exits.
The agency issued 17 separate violations, although sign a pledge to
more than $300,000 of its proposed fines come from not supply PP
three complaints that OSHA termed "willful" violations straws. So far, 15
of rules for energy control and lockout/tagout, machine food outlets; 114
guarding and safe operation of powered industrial trucks, cruise boats; 30
OSHA said. "The employer did not establish a program resorts and hotels; and eight tour companies have
consisting of an energy control procedure, employee signed the pledge and display signage in their venues
training and periodic inspections" for maintenance and or on their ships to show they support Nash's campaign.
servicing operations, OSHA said. Graff, however, disputed Nash estimates there are 450,000 fewer straws used
the agency's complaint. He said OSHA "came in on the annually from businesses that have signed the pledge so
excuse of an anonymous complaint," which he said was far. The campaign uses social media and Nash's personal
unfounded, and "spent the next six months here."He said
slogging around business owners to spread its message.

37 April 2018 Plastics News