An OSHA inspection at Schwan's Global Supply Chain Inc. resulted in dozens of citations against the frozen food manufacturer, along with Cimco Refrigeration Inc. and Adecco USA Inc., the companies who provide it with maintenance services and temporary employees.
The Minnesota company, which sells foods under several brand names including Red Baron pizza and Mrs. Smith's desserts, failed to provide adequate training for employees to work safely with ammonia, a hazardous and corrosive chemical used in refrigeration. Citations also included exposing workers to unguarded machines and damaging noise levels, and for failure to provide properly fitted personal protective equipment. OSHA initiated the inspection at Schwan's facility in September 2013, following a worker complaint. OSHA's 32 citations carry only $185,700 in penalties for Schwan's.