TIFFIN, OH — According to a report in the Toledo Blade, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Ameriwood Industries' plant in Tiffin, OH, for alleged federal workplace safety standard violations.

As a result, OSHA has proposed that the Michigan-based maker of ready-to-assemble furniture pay $108,700 in penalties.

The citations are based on OSHA’s determination that Ameriwood failed to protect workers from wood dust explosions by not providing spark detention/spark suppression systems in the factory's duct work.

OSHA also cited Ameriwood for failing to post caution signage and for allegedly exposing workers to possible injuries by not making sure certain power and machine lockout procedures were followed.

According to the report, the Tiffin facility has received 35 previous citations as the result of five previous inspections conducted during the past 14 years. It said Ameriwood, owned by Canada-based Dorel Industries, has been inspected 28 times, resulting in 98 citations at its locations in Ohio, Michigan and Missouri.

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