Flat Glass Recycling Plant Faces Fines for OSHA Violations
September 27, 2012

by Casey Neeley, cneeley@glass.com

Dlubak Glass Co. is facing proposed fines in the amount of $126,700 for deliberate and recurrent Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) violations. The citation, issued for the Upper Sandusky, Ohio plant on September 19, results from a March 20, 2012 plant inspection that found workers were exposed to overwhelming occupational hazards resulting from a lack of provided protective gear, workplace noise resulting from a loud work environment, increased risk of head injuries without provided helmets, as well as overexposure to lead and cadmium.

The thirteen violations, deemed serious by OSHA, focus on the plant’s violations of the lead standard. The numerous violations include a failure to implement work control practices, maintain record of cadmium exposure levels, failure to offer access to clean changing rooms or storage facilities for protective gear and clothing to avoid cross-contamination as well as a lack of provided medical monitoring to track exposure levels.

The plant was also cited for dry sweeping lead instead of vacuuming, excessive noise exposure, nonexistent communications procedures and a failure to provide helmets or other protective gear.

In a statement released by OSHA, Kim Nelson, director of OSHA's Toledo Area Office says, "Dlubak Glass Co. has a responsibility to protect the health of its workers by ensuring that they operate in a manner that eliminates or minimizes lead hazards, including exposure.”

Currently, the fines for the plant are only proposed. According to Denise Keller, assistant area director for OHSA’s Toledo office, the plant has 15 days to work out an informal settlement before the proposed fines are imposed.

“They are within their 15 days so we are still waiting to see what they choose to do,” says Keller.

Dlubak offers CRT glass processing, automotive windshield glass processing, automotive plate glass processing, window plate glass and IG units processing, PVB extraction from windshields and specialty glass processing.

A representative for the Upper Sandusky Dlubak office was unavailable for comment at press time.

Editor’s Note: Though our readers may be familiar with Dlubak Glass Corp. based in Blairsville, Pa., that corporation is not owned or operated by the same entity and is not affiliated with the Dlubak Company in this article.