Acton Company Exposed Workers to Electric Shock, Amputation Dangers: OHSA

Acton’s Mass. Granite is facing a huge fine for allegedly failing to provide a safe working environment for its employees.

• Subscribe to Acton news alerts

The company was cited for 29 violations and faces $87,200 in penalties, said the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

The violations include electrical equipment near water, an unsafe forklift boom, and potentially dangerous noise levels, according to OHSA.

“Mass Granite has repeatedly failed to provide a safe working environment for its employees,” said OHSA area director Anthony Covello in statement. “These new and recurring hazards expose ... employees to potential hearing loss, crushing injuries, hazardous chemicals, eye, hand and face injuries, falls, fire, electric shock, lacerations, or amputation. Additionally, the company continues to put workers at risk of being unable to exit the workplace swiftly in the event of an emergency.”

A man who identified himself as the Mass. Granite’s owner told Patch OHSA’s claims are “lies.”

“We’ve been here for 10 years and haven’t had one accident,” said the man, who declined to identify himself.

He added he runs a family company and that OSHA’s actions are hurting business.

Mass. Granite was fined $8,500 in 2014 for similar violations. A recent followup inspection determined the company failed to fix the issues, OHSA said, adding investigators found new hazards such as:

• Unsafe storage of large granite pieces
• Lack of eye, hand and head protection
• Not inspecting fire extinguishers
• Untrained forklift operators
• Unsafe forklift operation
• Asaw blade not guarded against contact
• Several electrical hazards
• Amissing stair railing
• Inadequately labeled containers of hazardous chemicals
• Inadequate training on hazardous chemicals
• A locked exit door
• Flammable material stored in an exit route.