07/30/2015 – After an onsite inspection, OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) slammed the Postal Service with five citations for violating safety standards at a post office located in Kent, WA, on July 1. OSHA also imposed a total of $16,000 in fines.
Four of the violations were labeled “serious:”
- A tool rest on a bench grinder was improperly adjusted or missing, resulting in a proposed $4,000 fine.
- Different types of equipment, including a daisy chain, power strip, locatable power tap to power fluorescent lights and a bench grinder, were either improperly installed and/or not being properly used, resulting in a proposed fine of $3,000.
- Outside power outlets were missing weather-proof covers and were no longer suitable for wet locations, resulting in a proposed $4,000 fine.
- The main room of the postal facility had asbestos-ridden tiles that were protected, but no longer sealed and waxed, resulting in a proposed fine of $5,000.
In addition, the Postal Service received an “other than serious” violation for failing to label all secondary storage containers. In the maintenance and janitorial room, there was a spray bottle with red liquid in it, but the contents were not labeled. No fine was proposed for the violation.
The Postal Service is obligated to comply with OSHA regulations listed in 29 CFR 1910. For more info, go to www.osha.gov.
Within 15 working days of receiving a citation, an employer who wishes to contest must submit a written objection to OSHA.
I worked for USPS in NYC for almost 40 years and safety in the workplace seemed to have been very, very
Important. Maybe because of the efforts of the Postal Union at the facilities where I worked, as well as upper management, employees were held responsible for their parts in helping to maintain a safe working invironment also. Training was provided for the use of all mechanical and automated equiptment, safety talks were given weekly and in some instances daily. Many will say that the Postal Service didn’t care about its employees but I saw things differently from my job as Clerk, as well as, a part of management. I was there thru manual, mechanical and automated phases of processing and I enjoyed every minute of it because every assignment I had was one that I was able to choose. I chose to do every job to my best ability.
Kelly all I can say is keep voting DemoKKKat! ROFLMFAO!!!!!!!!! whats 20 Trillion among liberal spendthrifts!
We as a nation have a Debt of over 18 Trillion, many of our good jobs Have been outsourced over seas.
The postal service try’s to cut costs by repairing a large fleet of LLV postal trucks with generic aftermarket Chinese replace parts making the fleet unsafe for the carriers.
So instead of congress and the Federal Goverment helping the postal service they send a bunch of Idiots from OSHA to harass the Postal Service.
OSHA isn’t about safety they are about Flexing power, they don’t have anyone working for them with enough common sense to spot a real safety hazard!!
Looks like the stupidvisors will be receiving a bonus. Postal management is above the law!
In 2014 the USPS paid $484,000 in OSHA fines. Yes the USPS does challenge 99% of the citations and many get reduced but not eliminated.
I told the custodians to use the leaf blowers to clean the floor and they can sit in the TV room for the rest of their tour. Win-win all around.
OSHA can kiss my a$$.
At 77379 Klein Post Office in Spring,TX ! We don’t have any soap!
They should visit Knoxville Tn. and bring a Brinks truck to carry the money back in
Come to Kearny Jersey 1200 Harrison all the violations in the world. Oh and labor problems
Big deal..$16,000 isn’t nothing…..My Post Master got our PO into a multi-million dollar law suit (3-100 million)….and the PO is going to lose!
Man! Only $16,000. OHSA, come to West Sacramento Main and you’ll make a killing!
Appears a lazy group occupies that office !
Aren’t these all maintenance issues?
USPS doesn’t pay fines, so a big deal it ain’t. my experience has been that the federal OSHA colludes with the federal united states postal service to turn a blind eye to most violations. together they pretend they don’t see most violations and sweep the majority of the other violations under the rug. osha will pretend they care when you file a complaint but that is about the only time you will see any action or concern from osha against the usps. when it comes time for action or an investigative visit osha fails 99% of the time. my guess with kent, WA is that some stupid usps mananger pissed off an osha employee and hence the
little tiff.