Brick manufacturer fined $124K for exposing workers to silica crystalline respiratory hazards
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An OSHA investigation has determined that Henry Brick Co. Inc. exposed workers to silica crystalline respiratory hazards. These hazards have the potential to lead to various health issues, including lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and kidney disease. The clay brick manufacturer was cited for 11 serious violations. These violations include failing to reduce employee exposure to respirable crystalline silica to permissible levels (exposure levels are currently 6.5 times higher than acceptable levels), not properly training workers on the dangers of crystalline silica and how to wear required respirators, and failing to offer free medical surveillance to workers exposed to high respirable crystalline silica levels for more than 30 days per year. The company faces $124,212 in penalties.
In a recent quote, OSHA Area Office Director Jose Gonzalez said, “Crystalline silica can be deadly. Workers who are overexposed to it can contract incurable, progressively disabling and sometimes fatal illnesses. This is why employers must take every precaution to protect employees from this danger. Employers with questions about how to develop respiratory protection programs can contact our trained professionals for assistance.”
About the Author
Alexis GajewskiAlexis Gajewski
Senior Content Strategist
Alexis Gajewski is a manufacturing writer and editor with nearly 20 years of experience covering the people, practices, and technologies that keep industrial facilities running. For more than a decade, she served as Senior Content Strategist for Plant Services, creating content for plant managers, engineers, and maintenance professionals on a variety of industrial topics.
During her tenure, Alexis worked to develop the brand’s digital strategy and helped launch and produce Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast. She also created The Lighter Side of Manufacturing, a weekly blog that explored the inventive and sometimes humorous side of the industry.
Alexis co-founded Influential Women in Manufacturing, a recognition program that honored 49 women in its first two years, earned an industry award for Best Product Launch, and received a proclamation from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and a commendation from U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth.
She also led newsroom operations and development at a large media company where she set editorial standards, developed training curriculum, and helped support AI adoption for more than 150 editors across 80+ brands spanning manufacturing, industrial processing, automation, and more.
Additionally, Alexis works as a freelance writer and editor, and her areas of interest include continuous improvement, the skilled workforce, and the role of emerging technology on the plant floor.
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