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Post Office cited for safety problems in Maine

Post Office cited for safety problems in Maine
OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) has cited the U.S. Postal Service and proposed penalty $430,000 in fines for "willful and repeated" electrical safety violations at a processing and distribution center. OSHA had done an investigation on the Southern Maine Processing and Distribution Center in Scarborough after a worker complaint against it and brought the matter to light.

OSHA inspectors found that postal workers were exposed to electric shock, arc flashes and arc blasts from mail-processing equipment, the Labor Department said.

David Michaels, the assistant labor secretary for OSHA, said that their bosses did not prepare the workers "with the necessary knowledge and skills" to work with equipment with live electrical parts. Michaels added, "The Postal Service knew that proper and effective training was needed for the safety of its workers but did not provide it.”

Tom Rizzo, the spokesman for the Postal Service in Northern New England District, tried to defend it by saying,“ it will review OSHA's concerns and make the necessary adjustments to ensure a safe working environment for our employees.”

OSHA does not tolerate any intentional disregard that can raise questions to the safety and the health of the workers. For the total six willful citations, OSHA has proposed $420,000 in fines.

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