Metal refinisher fined $338K for exposing workers to over 40 health and safety hazards
An OSHA inspection has determined that Outdoor Furniture Refinishing Inc. operating as Allied Powder Coating, exposed employees to more than 40 safety hazards. The metal refinishing company failed to impose protections to prevent health hazards related to triglycidyl isocyanurate, arsenic, cadmium beryllium and lead exposures. According to the agency, exposure to unsafe levels of these chemicals can lead to birth defects, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and more.
During the investigation, OSHA inspectors identified 39 serious violations and five other-than-serious violations. These violations include failing to protect workers from inhalation hazards, not effectively monitoring and controlling noise, and failing to protect employees against harmful dust overexposure. For these violations, the company faces $338,094 in proposed penalties.
What people are saying
In a recent quote, OSHA Area Director Larissa Ipsen said, “Outdoor Furniture Refinishing Inc. has a legal responsibility to ensure its employees have a safe work environment and must do better at understanding the hazards that exist in the work they do. Employers are required to know all dangers present in their workplace and develop procedures, provide safety equipment and train employees to ensure workers are protected from immediate and long-term hazards.”
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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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