One employee died and two others received serious injuries in the blaze. According to OSHA, the employer was not enforcing safety rules that could save lives. The company was cited for alleged fall hazards, blocked fire exits, unclean and disorderly passageways, materials blocking the line of site to emergency exits, materials blocking access to electrical equipment, and exposed electrical wiring. OSHA also cited the company for failure to have a written emergency plan prepared or available in case of a fire; placing liquid propane gas tanks in areas that could be struck by vehicles; allowing employees to operate forklifts without formal training and for failure to provide written certification of forklift operators’ training. Proposed penalties total $41,400.

[ColumbiaRecycling Corp., Dalton, GA. Release Number 07-1013-ATL (170), July 10, 2007]