Hometown Foods USA â a commercial bakery doing business as Bagelmania, Inc. â faces $129,145 in proposed penalties from the U.S. Department of Laborâs Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) after investigators found workers at its Medley, Florida facility exposed to amputation, fire and noise hazards.
OSHA cited the employer for 16 serious and other-than-serious safety and health violations after receiving a complaint alleging machine-guarding, forklift and noise hazards. âOur inspection identified hazards that pose a serious threat to employeesâ safety and health if not immediately corrected,â said OSHA Area Director Condell Eastmond. âHometown Foods USA needs to establish and implement an effective safety and health management system to protect its workers.â
The agency issued serious citations due to the companyâs failure to:
- Ensure proper machine guarding on several pieces of equipment.
- Develop and implement an emergency action plan.
- Provide personal protective equipment, such as thermal protection and safety glasses, to each employee.
- Develop and implement a hazardous energy control program â lockout/tagout â to prevent machines from starting up during maintenance and service.
- Ensure all safety devices on the ovens were inspected at least twice a month.
- Develop and implement a hearing conservation program for employees exposed to 85 decibels or more of noise.
- Not providing formal training on operating a powered industrial truck.
- Failing to inspect powered industrial trucks for defects prior to putting them into service.
- Improper use of electrical cables.
Based in Miami, Hometown Foods USA provides private label and branded bagels and cakes to in-store bakeries, club stores, and food service distributors and operators.
