13 Nov Air Base Cited for Safety Violations

Air Base Cited for Safety Violations

HARRISON TWP. (AP) – The Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited Selfridge Air National Guard Base for unsafe or unhealthy working conditions.

Eight notices were issued to the military base northeast of Detroit, the U.S. Labor Department said Tuesday in a release.

The base is located in Macomb County’s Harrison Township and is home to the Michigan Air National Guard. It employs 790 people, according to the press release.

An inspection was conducted in accordance with the Federal Agency Local Emphasis Program.

One of the notices cited was an amputee hazard violation, which involved not having adequate guards on machinery to protect workers from possible amputations. Other serious violations include failure to conduct annual periodic inspections of energy control procedures and failure to develop specific procedures to control hazardous energy. Workers also were not trained on the base’s energy control program.

A violation is noted as serious when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard the employer knew about or should have known about, according to the Labor Department.

“The Michigan Air National Guard failed to protect workers by ensuring the facility was in compliance with established safety and health procedures,” Larry Johnson, director of OSHA’s Lansing area office, said in the release. “All employers are responsible for noticing hazards in their facilities and for taking appropriate precautions by following OSHA standards.”

Sgt. Dan Heaton, spokesman for the 127th Wing, said Tuesday afternoon that he had not seen the report. The 127th Wing operates the base.

“We take the safety of our personnel very seriously,” Heaton said. “The members of the 127th Wing are the most important asset available to us. Anything that impacts their safety and security is our number one priority.”

After receiving the notices, Selfridge has 15 business days to comply, request a conference with OSHA’s area director, or appeal the notices.

for the complete article, go to CBS Detroit