Central Transport LLC has been cited for 16 safety and health violations, including five repeat, one willful and two serious safety violations, at its trucking terminal in Hillside. An OSHA inspection found repeat and willful violations that involved defective powered industrial vehicles and lack of fall protection. Proposed penalties total $145,420.

Forklift safety an issue

OSHA opened the March 28, 2014, inspection in response to a complaint. The inspection included an evaluation of forklift use, as required by the Local Emphasis Program for Powered Industrial Vehicles. This LEP was implemented to reduce fatalities and injuries caused by these vehicles, which have been the source of 105 occupational fatalities during fiscal years 2005 through 2013 in Illinois, Wisconsin and Ohio.

OSHA issued one willful violation for failing to remove forklifts from service that needed repair.

Fall, hazmat hazards

Five repeat violations were issued and included failure to have platform guardrails in place on platforms, which exposed workers to falls of more than four feet, and maintain terminal dock and bay floors clean and dry. Additionally, the company failed to train workers on chemical hazards before assigning them to work with the substances, did not provide eye-drenching facilities for areas where corrosive chemicals were in use and failed to maintain the yard and terminal roadway free of potholes and hazards.

Company contesting findings

In September, the company was cited for similar violations at its Rock Island terminal that involved defective powered industrial vehicles and lack of fall protection, with proposed penalties of $108,020. The company has contested those violations. The company has also contested the findings and will appear before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

Central Transport was cited in 2009, 2010 and 2013 at locations in Georgia, Ohio and Mississippi for similar violations.

Two serious violations were issued for failing to have handrails on stairs with four or more risers, not installing slip-resistant treads on stairs and failing to guard the floor opening on a pit to prevent falls.

To view the citations, visit http://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/CentralTransportLLC_966185.pdf.

Central Transport based in Warren, Michigan, employs about 4,300 workers at 170 locations nationwide. The Hillside terminal has about 100 employees.

Click here to read about the increase in powered industrial truck violations.