PORTLAND, Maine — Federal workplace safety officials have recommended fining an Auburn manufacturer $108,800 for a series of violations inspectors said could lead to lacerations, crushed fingers or amputations.
The regional office of the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced Tuesday it has proposed the fines against Formed Fiber Technologies in connection with five serious violations and two repeat violations.
In a written statement, company president and CEO Chris Richard said Formed Fiber is “assessing the assertions” about the company’s Auburn plant, which makes polyester fabrics for the automotive industry.
“Formed Fiber Technologies underwent an ownership and management change in 2013, which is transforming the company in many areas,” Richard said. “Since that time, our new management team has been working diligently, through both interaction with OSHA and with independent consultants, to bring our workplaces into full compliance with safety standards and to establish and maintain a corporate culture where the welfare of our employees is paramount.”
Maryann Medeiros, OSHA’s area director for Maine, said in a news release that several of the hazards are similar to ones previously identified at the manufacturing facility.
The administration defines serious violations as those that could result in death or serious physical harm from a hazard the employer knew about or should have known about.
The company has contested another proposed fine of up to $816,500 in July for similar safety violations recommended in July, according to a spokesman for OSHA’s Boston office. That case remains open.
A representative from the company also was not immediately available for comment Tuesday.
OSHA said the latest violations stemmed from a September 2014 inspection, which found robots used during the production process posed a danger of striking employees and that possible exposure to parts of looms, a grinder and drill press posed the risk of lacerations or amputations.
That inspection came as part of the company’s designation by OSHA in 2013 as a severe violator of workplace safety rules, giving OSHA the ability to inspect facilities if it believes the company is repeating previously observed safety violations.
OSHA said the September inspection came after a referral from its Chicago office, giving it grounds to believe repeat violations were taking place.
The company has 15 business days either to pay the proposed penalties and fix the alleged violations, request an informal meeting with OSHA officials or contest the findings.