Source: CCH Internet Research NetWork

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has fined Parkway Village Equities Corp, located in Queens, NY, $117,000 for allegedly violating nine separate health and safety standards relating to employee protection for asbestos exposure. OSHA began an inspection of the facility on November 1st, 2006 after receiving a complaint regarding worker safety conditions. They found that Parkway employees who were regularly required to work in tight spaces with known or likely asbestos contamination were not furnished with the appropriate protective gear. The results of this investigation are the basis for the current set of citations.

OSHA has fined Parkway for four "willful citations" of health and safety standards, which carry $112,000 in fines, and for five "serious citations", which added an additional $5000 in fines.

The four willful citations were:

• Parkway did not monitor the employees' exposure levels;
• they did not inform employees of the presence, location and quantities of asbestos;
• they did not institute a training program; and,
• they did not label asbestos-containing material.

The five serious citations were:

• Parkway did not provide appropriate hand, face and eye protection;
• there were respirator safety deficiencies;
• there was a lack of quick-drenching eyewashes;
• there was no hazard communication program; and
• Parkway did not properly label and dispose of asbestos-contaminated material.

Labels: asbestos