Frazer & Jones Co. Inc., Syracuse: OSHA silica citations

Silica dust: the findings

• Workers faced exposure to combustible dust, silica dust and crystalline silica.
• Employees didn't get adequate respiratory protection.
• As part of the settlement, a ventilation consultant will check the facility's dust control system, with an overhaul in mind.

More hazards from that same citation

• Hazards from falls, struck-by and caught-between events, along with floors and walking surfaces that weren't safe.
• The safeguards for confined spaces fell short, fire extinguishers were missing or hard to reach, and an exit route was blocked.
• There was no effective program for removing pests, and bird droppings were left to build up on equipment.

The employer's time to answer the citation: Once the citation was issued, a settlement ended the case. The Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission made the settlement a final order effective Oct. 14, 2021. Under the deal, the employer agreed to fix all 60 cited hazards and to pay the penalties. Added measures were part of its agreement too: a safety consultant would inspect twice a year, the consultant's recommendations would go to the parent company's board and the labor-management safety committee, and a system would receive and answer employee complaints.

If Frazer & Jones employed you

Sand for molds and cores puts silica into the air foundry workers breathe, and so does cleaning castings. A silicosis claim for work at Frazer & Jones in Syracuse typically begins with workers' comp; a lawyer can also see if a manufacturer of equipment or materials could be sued.

More than one OSHA citation for silica involves Frazer & Jones: November 2019 in Solvay and October 2021 in Syracuse.