The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Caricement USVI Corp. for 37 alleged “willful, serious, and other-than-serious” safety and health violations following the March 9 death of a worker at the company's St. Thomas cement plant. OSHA has proposed $273,500 in fines. The employee died after being caught in an unguarded screw conveyor.

OSHA found that several screw conveyors were not grated or otherwise guarded against employee contact with their moving parts; an open pit was unguarded; and procedures were not developed and utilized to prevent the accidental startup of machinery during maintenance.

Three willful citations, carrying $180,000 in proposed fines, were issued for these conditions. OSHA also issued 34 series and other-than-serious citations, with $93,500 in proposed fines, for other unsafe conditions in the plant. These include hazards related to falls; machine guarding; electrical equipment; hazard communication; fire extinguishers; compressed gas storage; an above-ground diesel tank; and failing to record workplace injuries and illnesses.