Metal tank manufacturer cited by OSHA for explosion, other safety hazards

U.S. workplace safety regulators have cited an Alabama metal tank manufacturer for exposing employees to fire, explosion, laceration and struck-by hazards and have proposed fines totaling $101,800.

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited MPV Morganton Pressure Vessels North Carolina L.L.C. after an inspection of the company’s facility found 10 serious and three other-than-serious violations, according to an agency statement on Thursday. The violations included exposure to fire and explosion hazards from an accumulation of combustible dust, laceration hazards from unguarded grinders and struck-by hazards from unsecured propane tanks.

The inspection was part of the OSHA’s national emphasis program for combustible dust and the regional emphasis program for powered industrial trucks.

“Employers must assess potential hazards, and make necessary corrections to ensure a safe workplace,” Joseph Roesler, OSHA’s Mobile, Alabama, office director, said in the statement. “Our inspection identified several workplace deficiencies that put workers at serious risk of injury or death.”

A company spokesperson could not be immediately reached for comment.