The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) proposed penalties of $1,326,367 to Dowa THT America Inc. – a metal heat-treatment company based in Bowling Green, Ohio – after the company exposed employees to atmospheric, thermal, electrical and mechanical hazards as they performed maintenance inside heat-treating furnaces. In addition to the penalties, OSHA placed the company in the Severe Violator Enforcement Program.

The costs of adhering to new and changing safety regulations, maintaining up-to-date protective equipment and covering employee injuries are increasingly burdensome for many companies, including those in the refractory installation business.