Seymour is facing about $5,000 in fines from the Connecticut Occupational Safety and Health Administration (CT OSHA) for various workplace violations found during a visit in June 2011.
The OSHA inspectors reviewed town hall, the public works garage, the public works parks storage on Nichols Street, the town’s transfer station and recreation department.
First Selectman Paul Roy and incoming First Selectman Kurt Miller will meet with OSHA officials in Wethersfield on Nov. 29 to discuss the actions the town took to fix the problems.
Roy said he’s hoping to get the fines lowered, because the town has fixed all but one of the violations since June.
The only remaining violation was that the town didn’t determine the presence, location and quantity of asbestos-containing material in Town Hall, which could be in closets and under rugs, Roy said.
The town will get a consultant to review the asbestos and how the town should deal with it, Roy said.
“We’re trying to get everything done that they asked us to do,” Roy said Wednesday. “I think that goes over well with these folks.”
Roy said he is optimistic that the fines will be lowered, but he expects that Seymour will still be required to pay something.
He said in a way, the visit and violations is “a good thing for the town, because we’re correcting these issues and making it safer for employees.”
The complete documentation related to the fines, including the specific violations, are listed in the documents posted below.
Most of the violations were found at the Public Works Garage.
The following violations were among those noted:
TOWN HALL
- A door which opens to the outside of the building was not marked with an Exit sign
- A door that could be mistaken for an exit didn’t have a “No Exit” sign
- A supply room was not kept in orderly fashion
- Portable fire extinguisher didn’t have annual servicing
- Light switch plate had an open hole that was not effectively closed
- Power strips and extension cords were used as permanent power source for small kitchen appliance
- employees weren’t required to wear appropriate eye protection when exposed to liquid chemicals
- town didn’t determine the presence, location and quantity of asbestos-containing material
- town didn’t provide an asbestos awareness training course
- visible fungal growth was observed on the wall behind the toilet in the first-floor women’s bathroom
- bloodborne pathogens program didn’t include an explanation of the Exposure Control Plan
PUBLIC WORKS GARAGE
- employer didn’t verify that the required workplace hazard assessment was performed with a written certification
- employer didn’t ensure that each affected employee used appropriate eye or face protection when exposed to eye or face hazardous chemicals
- employer did not require employees to use hand protection when exposed to chemical hazards
- the hazard communication program did not include a list of the hazardous chemicals known to be present in the workplace
- the employer did not maintain copies of the required material safety data sheets
- the eyewash was not kept in a sanitary condition
- there was no access to a remote emergency power shut off for fuel pumps
- there were no signs at the fuel pumps that say open flames or smoking is not allowed there
- employer did not train employees who use the Clark forklift in the safe operation of the equipment
- compressed air in the garage was used at higher than 30 psi for cleaning purposes
- DPW flaggers didn’t have proper traffic training
- Areas of garage were difficult to walk through because of poor housekeeping practices
- a portable fire extinguisher was blocked
- fire extinguishers hadn’t been inspected on a monthly basis
PW PARKS STORAGE
- portable storage of gasoline was not in approved safety cans with self closing lids and pressure relief valves.
- compressed air was used in excess of 30 psi for cleaning purposes by employees.
- breaker panel wasn’t properly marked
- working space in front of electrical panels was used for storage
- holes not effectively closed in electrical panel
TRANSFER STATION:
- platforms higher than 4 feet off the ground lacked standard railings
- electrical panel was missing a circuit breaker and hole was not covered
RECREATION DEPARTMENT
- there was no written bloodborne pathogens Exposure Control Plan
Seymour Town Hall Violations, I — CT OSHA
Seymour Town Hall Violations, II — CT OSHA
Seymour Recreation Dept — CT OSHA Violations
Seymour Transfer Station — CT OSHA Violations
Seymour DPW Parks Storage — OSHA Violations
Seymour DPW Parks Storage, II — CT OSHA VIOLATIONS