Cappaert’s OSHA fines settled for less than half|[08/28/07]

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Fines for safety violations at Cappaert Manufactured Housing have been more than halved in a settlement that follows negotiations between the company and federal regulators.

The company that makes modular homes at its U.S. 61 South facility also agrees to create a safer workplace.

Fines initially set at $118,300 by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration were reduced to $50,000, in the agreement.

Email newsletter signup

Sign up for The Vicksburg Post's free newsletters

Check which newsletters you would like to receive
  • Vicksburg News: Sent daily at 5 am
  • Vicksburg Sports: Sent daily at 10 am
  • Vicksburg Living: Sent on 15th of each month

The $68,300 difference represents a larger-than-usual reduction for violators, said OSHA’s Mississippi officer, Clyde Payne.

&#8220The average penalty reduction is right around 40 percent,” he said. &#8220There were a lot of violations here and they made a lot of progress.”

Payne said the company and a subcontractor, C&D builders, have corrected many of the 47 violations classified as &#8220serious” by inspectors who visited the plant in January.

Inspectors’ reports alleged that conditions at the plant exposed workers to amputation, electrocution, falls and other injuries.

C&D Builders, which installs roofing at the plant, reached a separate settlement that reduces OSHA penalties from $5,100 to $2,500 for four serious violations.

OSHA officials met with owner Mike Cappaert and representatives from C&D builders on Aug. 8. Both parties reported a tentative agreement had been reached, but details were not immediately released.

The terms of the settlement with Cappaert Manufactured Housing include a promise to conduct two outside safety audits by August 2008, conduct monthly self-inspections, and provide 10 hours of safety training to all plant supervisors.

It reduces fines for some citations, cancels others and reclassifies some so they are not listed as &#8220serious.”

Other penalty reductions were made to ease the burden of more employee safety training, Payne said.

&#8220They have to do some supervisory training, they have to do some outside safety audits and they have to do some monthly self-inspections.”

Penalty reductions are used as incentive for companies to improve safety conditions, Payne said.

&#8220We put employee safety first,” he said. &#8220The first hurdle you have to address is, are they going to correct this hazard?”

Companies have the option to appeal citations to an independent, but Payne said settlement and reduction of fines is more favorable.

Less than 2 percent of OSHA cases in Mississippi reach arbitration, he said.

Representatives for Cappaert Manufactured Housing had no comment.