More Fines for Hartwell’s Tenneco

More fines for Hartwell automotive plant Tenneco from the U.S. Department of Labor’s
Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
The Illinois-based company has now been placed in OSHA’s Severe Violator
Enforcement Program for quote, “demonstrating indifference to its OSHA Act obligations
to provide a safe and healthful workplace for employees. n
Tenneco is a global transportation components manufacturer with more than 80
facilities on six continents and corporate offices in Lake Forest, Illinois.
Elite Logistic Service Inc., a staffing agency that provided temporary employees to
Tenneco at the Hartwell plant, was also cited for one serious safety violation.
OSHA initiated the inspection after receiving a complaint alleging improper material
handling and machine guarding hazards.
Proposed penalties total $342,250.

 
Bill Fulcher, director of OSHA’s Atlanta-East area office said quote, “The high number
of repeat violations of the same or similar hazards demonstrates that this employer is
not concerned with protecting its permanent or temporary employees from occupational
dangers.” End quote.

 
In 2010,2012, and 2013, Tenneco was been cited for numerous and repeated safety
violations and at one point was sued by a group of employees who claim they became
ill after being exposed to the chemical hexavalent chromium, which causes cancer.
A repeat violation exists when an employer previously has been cited for the same or a
similar violation of a standard, regulation, rule or order at any facility in federal
enforcement states within the last five years.

 
Elite Logistic Service employs approximately 110 temporary workers at the Tenneco
facility.
Elite was cited with one violation, carrying a penalty of $6,300, for failure to remove its
employees from exposure to unguarded pallet tippers.