May 19th, 2011
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Author: Federal regulators have accused a Milwaukee manufacturer of battery terminals of exposing its workers to lead.
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced earlier this month that it was citing Centrifugal Casting Co., 136 E. Walker St., with thirteen violations. The company, located in the Walker’s Point neighborhood, makes terminals that connect boats, golf carts and other machines to batteries.
The citations, which total $108,570 in fines, included failing to provide protective clothing, failing to control employees’ exposure to lead, allowing four employees to exceed the permissible exposure limit to lead, failing to monitor re-circulated air for lead and failing to maintain surfaces free from lead accumulation.
While children are most vulnerable to lead poisoning, it can also cause neurological and kidney damage in adults.
Six of a total of 13 health violations were deemed “repeat violations” from inspections in 2008.
The facility was inspected twice in that year. Following the first, conducted in February 2008, OSHA fined the company about $45,000 for violations; the agency agreed to reduce the fines to about $10,500 in a settlement. After the second inspection, conducted in November 2008, OSHA fined the company about $34,100; the agency agreed to reduce the fines to about $20,500.
Centrifugal Casting Co. can contest the new citations before the OSHA’s Review Commission.
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