(Host) The federal agency charged with protecting worker safety says the U.S. Postal Service endangered employees at its White River Junction mail processing center
As VPR’s John Dillon reports, the complaints focus on worker exposure to electrical hazards.
(Dillon) The Occupational Safety and Health Administration wants to levy a $420,000 fine for alleged workplace safety violations at the White River Junction facility.
Ted Fitzgerald is an OSHA spokesman. He says the large fine reflects the seriousness of the problem and what OSHA describes as "willful conduct" on the part of the Postal Service.
(Fitzgerald) "Willful citations mean that the employer or management knew that a particular hazard existed and did not take steps to address it. So we are talking what OSHA believes is knowledge on the part of the Postal Service that employees were working in unsafe conditions."
(Dillon) The alleged hazards include workers performing troubleshooting or maintenance on live electrical equipment without proper safety gear or training. The equipment included mail handling and sorting machines.
(Fitzgerald) "The situation if not addressed leaves the workers exposed to potential electric shock, arc flashes or arc blasts so essentially electrocution or burns or other electrical related injuries."
(Dillon) About 200 people work at the mail processing facility in White River. OSHA says about a half-dozen were exposed to the unsafe conditions. But it says no one was injured as a result.
OSHA has also taken action against mail processing centers in Scarborough, Maine and Providence, Rhode Island. The agency has launched a national investigation as well.
(Fitzgerald) "This is part of a larger group of inspections. OSHA had received complaints about this particular type of hazards at postal distributions centers. So OSHA did initiate a number of inspections at a number of locations across the country, including White River Junction. Some of those inspections are still ongoing."
(Dillon) The Postal Service says it’s already taken steps to protect workers at the White River processing center. Tom Rizzo is a spokesman for the Postal Service’s northern New England district.
(Rizzo) "In January 2010 the Postal Service began implementing an electrical work plan to enhance its safe electrical work practices for its employees. And the Postal Service believes its plans meets OSHA standards. The plan provides for electrical risk assessments, training, personal protective equipment, enhanced safe electrical work practices and insulated tools."
(Dillon) The Postal Service has 15 days to decide whether to comply with the OSHA findings or file an appeal.
For VPR News, I’m John Dillon in Montpelier.