HOUSTON – Gillespie Lumber Ltd. of Nacogdoches, TX, is in trouble again with the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The federal safety agency cited the sawmill for 13 violations including seven for failure-to-abate violations stemming from an August 2013 OSHA inspection.

The proposed penalties total $125,282.

Last August, OSHA inspectors visited Gillespie Lumber's sawmill operation as part of a regional emphasis program on occupational noise exposure. The inspectors issued the company numerous safety citations, including for exposing workers to unguarded rotating parts and operation points on machines and excessive occupational noise. OSHA inspectors conducting a followup visit to the plant in January determined that many of these hazards had not been satisfactorily addressed. The unabated violations account for $98,640 of the total proposed fine.

"By failing to fix hazards previously cited, Gillespie Lumber continues to expose workers to possible injuries from machines that require safety guarding. Failure to protect workers from these hazards is unacceptable," said David Doucet, OSHA's area director in the Houston North Area Office.

OSHA also issued three serious repeat violations, with a penalty of $26,180. These include failing to provide fall protection and guard belts, pulleys and the point of operation of machines.

Gillespie Lumber was fined $462 for three other repeat violations for failing to follow listing and labeling on electrical equipment, electrical disconnects for motors and branch circuits.

Gillespie Lumber, a three-generation company, was founded in 1965. The company manufactures crane/dragline mats, laminated mats, pallet lumber and more for shipment world wide.