The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited WD Flooring, LLC for 4 repeat, 28 serious, and 6 other-than serious violations at their manufacturing facility after an inspection in September 2023. This was done under OSHA’s National Emphasis Program for amputation hazards in manufacturing. A health inspection was also done concurrently.
Alleged defaults at flooring company
OSHA alleges the Laona mill has several faults pertaining to its employee’s health and safety per federal regulations. The company
- The company failed to protect workers from electrical and fall hazards.
- Forklifts went unrepaired and were operated unsafely.
- A hearing conservation program failed to be implemented.
- Workers were not provided hearing protection nor adequate personal protective equipment.
- Employees were not trained on hazardous chemicals in the workplace.
- Injuries were not recorded in a timely manner.
For these violations, and others, OSHA proposes a $269,662 penalty. The company can either comply with the citation and remedy the problems, request an informal conference with the area director for OSHA, or contest the findings. According to a Fox news report, the company will be challenging the findings.
WD Flooring calls OHSA’s claims are egregious
Company president Peter Connor issued a statement lambasting OSHA for the citations.
“We at WD Flooring are deeply disappointed by OSHA’s recent release of what we perceive to be unfounded and subjective assessments of our facility… These ridiculous headlines are made to shame, disparage, and harm the reputation of this company and, at large, our industry.”
He goes on to say that American businesses are over-regulated, and that the company is a symbolic martyr for a political game. WD Flooring is committed to employee safety.
While we don’t know what will happen in this case, businesses should be aware that not following OSHA regulations can lead to hefty fines and penalties. Employers must ensure safety on the job for their employees. Get more information about OSHA regulations on their website.
Dawn Brotherton is a Sr. Staff Writer at The American Genius with an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Central Oklahoma. She is an experienced business writer with over 10 years of experience in SEO and content creation. Since 2017, she has earned $60K+ in grant writing for a local community center, which assists disadvantaged adults in the area.
