The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued 15 citations to HB&G Building Products Inc. on South Brundidge Street.

OSHA cited HB&G for 15 serious safety violations during March inspections. According to a release from OSHA the violations included exposing workers to fall hazards, exposing workers to moving machine parts lacking safety guards, improper storage of fuel and oxygen cylinders and exposing workers to electrocution hazards by not covering live wiring.

The report also mentioned four other violations involved failing to maintain an unobstructed access area in front of an electrical panel and not ensuring a stairway had a standard railing.

OSHA’s area director for Mobile Joseph Roesler said the inspection had identified several safety hazards that put workers in harm’s way.

“This inspection has identified several safety hazards that put workers at risk of amputations from unguarded machinery, electrocution from exposed wiring and fall hazards,” Roesler said. “HB&G’s management must take action to correct the hazards so it can fulfill their responsibility to protect employees in the workplace.”

The company was given approximately 15 business days from the receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to rectify the situation, request a conference with an OSHA director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. However, Glen Camp, of HB&G, said many of the issues were fixed onsite the day of the inspection and the other four violations had already been rectified since the inspection as well.

“A lot of the citations depends on the seriousness of the violation,” Camp said. “We take it very seriously. Everything was a quick fix.”

The proposed penalties amount to $49,715, but Camp said representatives of HB&G would meet with OSHA representatives for an informal hearing, in which company representatives will have the opportunity to show proof that issues have been fixed or resolved. “We give the proof of the things that we have fixed, and what we have done to correct the issues. Then, we negotiate fines,” he said.

HB&G manufactures plastic and fiberglass porch columns and employees approximately 229 worker, and Camp said like OSHA, HB&G aims to keep its employees safe and provide them with a safe work environment.

“We have the same goal in mind to make it a safe environment for the employees. We’ve gone 45 days with out a reportable accident,” Camp said. “The last one I think we had someone get two stitches, and prior to that we had gone 102 days without a reportable accident.”