Bakery faces $129,000 in proposed penalties for safety violations
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A Miami-based bakery is facing $129,000 in proposed penalties from the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration for exposing workers to amputation, fire and noise hazards.
OSHA inspected Hometown Foods USA, a commercial bakery doing business as Bagelmania Inc., after receiving a complaint alleging machine guarding, forklift and noise hazards. OSHA cited Hometown Foods for 16 serious and other-than-serious safety and health violations for its failure to ensure proper machine guarding on several pieces of equipment, develop and implement an emergency action plan, provide personal protective equipment, develop and implement a hazardous energy control program, and ensure all safety devices on ovens were inspected at least twice a month, according to a press release issued by the agency Thursday.
In addition, Hometown Foods was cited for not providing employees formal training on operating a powered industrial truck, failing to inspect powered industrial trucks for defects prior to putting them into service, and improper use of electrical cables, according to the statement.
“Our inspection identified hazards that pose a serious threat to employees’ safety and health if not immediately corrected,” Condell Eastmond, West Palm Beach, Florida-based OSHA area director, said in the statement. “Hometown Foods USA needs to establish and implement an effective safety and health management system to protect its workers.”
A Hometown Foods USA spokesperson could not be immediately reached for comment.
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