An Austin-based flooring giant faces $299K in safety violation penalties

An Austin-based flooring giant faces $299K in Department of Labour (DoL) violations of employee safety violations.

After the DoL investigated Ecore International’s Mexia plant, the regulator found a litany of safety issues.

Ecore International is one of America’s largest producers of materials and flooring, which is seen across playgrounds, gyms, and sports fields.

The surface manufacturer now faces fifteen counts of labor standards violations and a possible financial penalty.

Ecore International breaches safety regulations

According to a report, the “U.S. Department of Labor investigation has found the company less committed to protecting its own employees.”

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) scoured the plant during a January 2024 visit. The routine investigation found more than a dozen violations.

These included workers being forced to use forklifts to reach elevated places while working and untrained staff being allowed to use forklifts. Explosive and combustible materials were not cleared from key areas, which could cause a fire.

The OSHA investigation also found that the workplace was unsafe for welding work, did not reduce slip, trip, and fall hazards, and failed to ensure that machines required safety guards.

“A successful enterprise like Ecore International has the resources to establish and follow a comprehensive safety and health program and to address hazards proactively before disaster strikes,” said OSHA Area Director Monica Camacho.

OSHA has sanctioned Ecore for $299,591 in penalties and fifteen serious violations of health and safety regulations.

This isn’t the only action in place against Ecore, in May 2024, OSHA discovered the same machine guard hazards which could lead to workers losing a limb or being exposed to electrical wiring.

“Ecore International must extend the innovation it credits for its company’s success to the safety and health of the people who help make and sell its products,” said, Camacho. “At the company’s Mexia facility, our inspectors found employees forced to climb atop forklifts to do their jobs, workers exposed to potential dangers of fire and explosion, and many unprotected from the risks of falls and unguarded machines, all of which provides a formula for serious or fatal injuries.”

Image: Pixlr.

 

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