OSHA inspectors acting on a complaint found asbestos-related violations at A.M. Castle & Co., a wholesale metal and steel stock distributor in Franklin Park, Illinois.

The complaint alleged various safety and health hazards including occupational exposure to asbestos, insufficient training for employees on asbestos in the workplace, and lack of permit-required confined space procedures.

Following the September 25, 2014 investigation, OSHA issued two repeated and five serious violations.

"A.M. Castle has a responsibility to train its workers in the hazards of being exposed to asbestos and confined spaces," said Angeline Loftus, OSHA's area director in Des Plaines. "Asbestos exposure can cause long-term and irreversible damage to the lungs. A. M. Castle needs to re-evaluate this facility and correct these hazards immediately."

Two repeated violations the company was cited for:

• Not providing awareness training to employees who perform housekeeping operations in areas that contain asbestos or presumed asbestos containing material.
• Not making a copy of the OSHA Asbestos Standard readily available and accessible to affected employees.

The company was previously cited for these violations on March 28, 2012.

Five serious violations were cited for:

• Not evaluating the workplace to determine if any confined spaces were permit-required.
• Not posting danger signs or notifying employees of a permit-required confined space.
• Not developing and implementing a written permit-required confined space entry program.
• Failing to inform employees, who perform maintenance in areas where asbestos is present, of the presence, quantity and location of asbestos containing material or presumed asbestos containing material which might have been contacted during such work activities
• Failing to ensure training on asbestos was in accordance with OSHA standards.
• Failing to provide annual asbestos training to employees involved in Class IV asbestos operations.

Proposed Penalties: $59,720