Besides injuries and employee complaints, another reason why OSHA may choose to inspect a company is a referral from another government agency.

O.C.E. Warehouse and Distribution Center in Edison, NJ, was the recipient of one such inspection. Now the company faces $123,100 in OSHA fines.

OSHA received a referral from the Edison Department of Public Safety, Division of Fire, alleging O.C.E.’s fire exits and aisles were blocked and that unsecured merchandise was being stored on racks.

O.C.E. was fined $100,000 for two willful violations and $23,100 for 12 serious violations.

The willful violations include failure to continuously maintain exit routes free of obstruction or impediments and for storing materials in damaged racks.

The serious violations include failure to:

• properly identify exit doors
• supply employees with personal protective equipment
• remove defective forklifts from service
• provide adequate training
• give adequate evaluations and procedures to forklift operators, and
• provide proper storage in workspace areas around electrical equipment.

You can read more about the case involving O.C.E. here.

Tags: blocked exits, fire inspection, referral