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The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has proposed $114,000 in fines against Cast Metals Inc. of Deshler, Ohio, for an alleged willful violation and multiple serious violations of federal workplace safety standards.

OSHA inspected Cast Metals Inc. as part of a local emphasis program concentrating on the primary metal industry. As a result of its inspection, opened in March 2008, OSHA issued the company citations alleging one willful violation and 39 serious violations, including 23 safety and 16 health regulation issues.

OSHA issues a serious citation when death or serious physical harm is likely to result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.

The willful violation addresses the lack of lockout/tagout training for employees exposed to unexpected energization of equipment during maintenance and servicing activities. Some of the serious violations address lack of personal protective equipment or face and eye protection for employees dealing with molten metal, training deficiencies, electrical hazards, silica and lead over-exposures, lack of respiratory protection training and high-level noise exposure.

The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations to contest them before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

OSHA operates a vigorous enforcement program, conducting more than 39,000 inspections in fiscal year 2007 and exceeding its inspection goals in each of the last eight years. In fiscal year 2007, OSHA found nearly 89,000 violations of its standards and regulations.

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