An Arkansas trucking company has been cited for asphyxiation hazards by OSHA following the death of a temporary employee in April.

The worker, who was cleaning the inside of a tanker trailer without proper training, was found unconscious and later died from an oxygen-deficient atmosphere.

Sherman Brothers Trucking Inc., doing business as Team Transport Inc., was cited for 11 safety and health violations, including one willful, for deficiencies of its permit-required confined space program and other workplace hazards at its Crossett facility.

A willful violation was cited for failing to maintain air monitoring equipment and evaluate permit-required confined space conditions prior to entry.

The seven serious violations cited include failing to guard open floor holes to prevent falling into the next level; stabilize a platform used to access a tanker cleaning area with railings or posts to prevent fall hazards; and train workers on confined spaces and hazard communications. The employer also failed to implement respirator, confined space and hazard communications programs.

The three other-than-serious violations involve the availability of confined space training certifications and ensuring drums and totes containing chemicals were properly labeled with identity and hazard warnings.

Proposed penalties total $113,400. The citations can be viewed at: http://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/Sherman_Brothers_Trucking_903056_1028_13.pdf*.

Team Transport is part of the S.B. Inc. family of companies, headquartered in Harrisburg, Ore., that includes Sherman Brothers Heavy Trucking, Lee's Trucking and Sound Transportation.