Cavco Industries Inc., Austin: OSHA silica citation

Inspection reason: Establishments with high injury rates are the focus of the National Emphasis Program Site-Specific Targeting, and this planned inspection fell under that program.

Silica dust findings

• Workers faced silica risks, and the company kept no respiratory protection program in place for them.
• No hazard communication program covering silica was maintained by the company.
• Workers' exposure to silica was not assessed by the company.

More hazards in this citation

• Fall protection was missing, ladders were used improperly, and walking surfaces were unsafe.
• Electrical violations (with shutoffs workers could not safely reach), overhead hazards, suspended loads, fire extinguishers that were poorly inspected, and welding screens that were missing.
• No respiratory or hazard communication protections were in place for isocyanates, and neither personal protective equipment nor an eyewash and shower station was supplied.

The employer's time to answer the citation: Once the citations arrived, the company had 15 working days to comply, to ask the OSHA area director for an informal conference, or to challenge the findings at the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

Did you work for Cavco Industries?

Cavco Industries is not a stone or concrete business, yet inspectors found silica dust hazards there, so the dust came with the work. A silicosis claim typically starts with workers' comp for someone employed at Cavco Industries in Austin, and a lawyer can look into whether others share responsibility.