The U.S. Department of Labor has issued 22 workplace health and safety citations — and proposed fines of $119,700 — against a Spencer County shipyard.
Earlier this week, the Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited the Corn Island Shipyard in Grandview for five repeated violations, 14 serious violations and three of what OSHA calls "other-than-serious" safety and health violations.
According to the OSHA citation, the serious violations included the use of unsafe aerial lifts and cranes; improper protection from falls and electrical hazards; improper handling of compressed gas cylinders and other flammable and combustible materials; and lack of a trained shipyard rescue team that could quickly respond to emergencies.
The citations stem from a workplace safety inspection that took place March 31-April 1.
Rhonda Burke, an OSHA spokeswoman in Chicago, said that inspection was a follow-up to a previous inspection that took place in 2013. As a result of the first inspection, Burke said, OSHA cited Corn Island with 11 serious and two other-than-serious violations. The shipyard paid $21,770 in related penalties as a result.
The 2015 inspection revealed five workplace hazards that were similar to those found in 2013, Burke said.
The repeated violations, OSHA said, include a lack of machine safety procedures, missing railings on platforms and surfaces, and use of damaged industrial vehicles.
The Courier & Press was unable to reach Corn Island Shipyard for comments. The woman who answered the phone there said that General Manager Bud Johnson was out until the middle of next week. A reporter also sent e-mails to Johnson and to the shipyard's human relations department, but did not receive replies.
When an employer is cited for violations, it has several response options.
Within 15 business days of receiving a citation, the employer can meet with OSHA representatives for an informal review of the case. This can lead to a settlement and reduced financial penalties. An employer may have addressed some of the safety issues, Burke said, and an informal review is a chance to discuss this.
"Often times, (employers) have already made improvements to the things that are cited."
An employer can also choose to contest the citations.
OSHA has not yet received a response from Corn Island Shipyard, Burke said.