Two Lansing businesses face fines for COVID-19 safety violations 

Riverfront Animal Hospital, Gillespie Roofing face $4,200 in state penalties 

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THURSDAY, Sept. 17 — Two businesses in Lansing are facing thousands of dollars in state fines for failing to follow workplace safety requirements, including a lack of face masks. 

The Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued citations to 19 businesses this morning for “failing to uphold safety and health workplace guidelines, potentially putting workers in harm’s way,” according to a press release. Two are based in the city of Lansing. 

Gillespie Roofing, which is not affiliated with Pat Gillespie or The Gillespie Group, was fined $2,100 for failing to require face coverings to workers that worked too closely together. The business was also cited for a lack of preparedness and response plan and a failure to train employees on COVID-19 guidelines based on an inspection from a job site in Grand Ledge. 

Riverfront Animal Hospital, which was flagged as a COVID-19 exposure site by the Ingham County Health Department last month, was also fined $2,100 for a lack of a preparedness and response plan, failing to require face masks and failing to conduct daily health screenings. 

Calls to both businesses were not immediately returned to City Pulse this afternoon. They’ll each have the next 15 days to contest the violations and the penalties and must also provide proof that they’ve each corrected the deficiencies identified by state officials in the citations. 

“MIOSHA investigations determined that these employers were not taking precautions to protect employees and their communities from the spread of COVID-19,” Director Bart Pickelman said in a press release. “Failure to follow guidelines puts everyone at risk and these citations are meant to reiterate the employer’s responsibility to protect their employees.” 

The MIOSHA “general duty” clause requires an employer to provide a workplace that is free from recognized hazards that are causing, or are likely to cause, death or serious physical harm to the employee. Fines can be as high as $7,000. A total of $51,400 in fines were issued today. 

On-site inspections conducted by MIOSHA’s general industry and construction industry enforcement divisions determined at least 19 companies allegedly committed serious violations by failing to implement necessary precautions to protect employees from contracting COVID-19. 

Deficiencies included a lack of health screenings, face coverings, employee training, cleaning measures and overall preparedness plans. Here’s the full list provided today by state officials: 

  • American Eagle Home Improvement location based in Bangor was fined $2,100 for violations including lack of social distancing and failure to use masks or face coverings. A regular programmed inspection was initiated at a Mattawan job site, view the full citation document. 
  • Belle Tire location at 50720 Van Dyke, Shelby Township, was fined $7,000 for violations including failure to require face coverings when social distance could not be maintained, the lack of a preparedness and response plan, failure to train employees on COVID-19. An inspection was initiated due to complaints concerning employees not wearing face coverings, view the full citation document. 
  • Americus Grill location based in Brighton was fined $400 for violations of COVID-19 Workplace Safety requirements including failing to designate a workplace COVID-19 supervisor, failing to follow the preparedness and response plan, failing to install physical barriers a cash register and host stand where six feet of distance could not be maintained, failing to post signs, failing to conduct the daily health screening including a questionnaire and failing to train employees. An inspection was initiated upon a complaint, view the full citation document. 
  • Dave’s Glass Service, Inc., based in Kalamazoo, was fined $2,100 for violations of COVID-19 Workplace Safety requirements including failure to require face coverings when social distance could not be maintained, the lack of a preparedness and response plan, failing to train employees on COVID-19 guidelines. A regular programmed inspection was initiated at a Portage, MI job site, view the full citation document. 
  • ABSR, Inc., Story Roofing Company Inc., based in Buckley, was fined $4,200 for violations of COVID-19 Workplace Safety requirements including failure to require face coverings when social distance could not be maintained, the lack of a preparedness and response plan, failing to train employees on COVID-19 guidelines A regular programmed inspection was initiated at a Traverse City job site, view the full citation document. 
  • B D Construction based in Pontiac was fined $2,100 for violations of COVID-19 Workplace Safety requirements including failure to require face coverings when social distance could not be maintained, failing to maintain social distance where possible, the lack of a preparedness and response plan, failing to train employees on COVID-19. A regular programmed inspection was initiated at an Ann Arbor, MI job site, view the full citation document. 
  • Daniel Sanchez, a residential construction company based in Marietta, Georgia, working in Plainwell was fined $2,100 for violations of COVID-19 Workplace Safety requirements including failure to require face coverings when social distance could not be maintained, failing to maintain social distancing, the lack of a preparedness and response plan, failure to train employees on COVID-19 guidelines. Initiated as a programmed planned inspection, view the full citation document. 
  • D&D Roofing 4G, LLC., based in Fremont was fined $2,800 for violations of COVID-10 Workplace Safety requirements including the lack of a preparedness and response plan and failure to train employees on COVID-19 guidelines. A regular programmed inspection was initiated at a Saint Ignace, MI job site, view the full citation document. 
  • Fresh Pak, a produce packing facility based in Detroit was fined $4,900 for violations of COVID-19 Workplace Safety requirements including failing to conduct a daily health screening protocol, failure to require face coverings when social distance could not be maintained, failing to provide cleaning supplies for high touch surfaces, failing to post signs, markings, barriers at the time clock, failing to maintain/retain documentation for training, entry screening and contact tracing. An inspection was initiated upon a complaint, view the full citation document. 
  • Gillespie Roofing based in Lansing was fined $2,100 for violations of COVID-19 Workplace Safety requirements including failure to require face coverings when social distance could not be maintained, failure to maintain social distance, the lack of a preparedness and response plan, failure to train employees on COVID-19 guidelines. A regular programmed inspection was initiated at a Grand Ledge, MI job site, view the full citation document. 
  • Home Depot location based at 25451 Michigan Ave., Dearborn Heights was fined $4,000 for violations of COVID-19 Workplace Safety requirements including failing to designate a COVID-19 workplace supervisor, failing to conduct a daily health screening, failing to require face coverings when social distance could not be maintained and failure to maintain/retain documentation for daily health screening. An inspection was initiated upon a complaint, view the full citation document. 
  • Nain Construction based in Grand Rapids was fined $2,100 for violations of COVID-19 Workplace Safety requirements including failing to require face coverings when social distance could not be maintained, lack of a preparedness and response plan, failure to maintain/retain documentation for daily health screening and failing to train employees on COVID-19 guidelines. A regular programmed inspection was initiated at a Plainwell, MI job site, view the full citation document. 
  • Pilot Company, a fuel supplier location based at 6158 New US 223 Ottawa Lake, was fined $3,500 for violations of COVID-19 Workplace Safety requirements including the lack of a preparedness and response plan, failure to train employees on COVID-19 and failure to conduct a daily health screening and maintain records. Initiated as part of the State Emphasis Program for retail businessview the full citation document. 
  • A&S Warren Foods Inc., Shoppers Market Warren in Warren, Michigan, was fined $1,500 for violations of COVID-19 Workplace Safety requirements including the lack of a preparedness and response plan, failing to conduct a daily health screening protocol, failing to post signs at entrances, failing to maintain/retain records on training employees on COVID-19 guidelines. Initiated as part of the State Emphasis Program for retail businessview the full citation document 
  • Valentin Roofing, LLC based in Kalamazoo was fined $2,100 for violations of COVID-19 Workplace Safety requirements including failing to require face coverings when social distance could not be maintained, not maintaining social distance when feasible, the lack of a preparedness and response plan and failing to train employees on COVID-19 guidelines. A regular programmed inspection was initiated at a Plainwell, MI job site, view the full citation document. 
  • West Olive Nursery, Inc., a plant center and greenhouse location based in West Olive, was fined $2,100 for violations of COVID Workplace Safety requirements including failing to require face coverings where social distance could not be maintained, failing to maintain social distancing where possible, failure to conduct daily health screening protocol, failure to train employees on COVID-19, lack of a preparedness and response plan. No other penalties were issued. Initiated as a programmed planned inspection, view the full citation document. 
  • GVC Painting Co., Inc, based in Milford, was fined $2,100 for violations of COVID-19 Workplace Safety requirements including failing to require face coverings where social distance could not be maintained, failing to maintain social distance where possible, the lack of a preparedness and response plan, failing to train employees on COVID-19 guidelines. A regular programmed inspection was initiated at an Ann Arbor, MI job site, view the full citation document. 
  • Kauffman Construction, Inc., based in Newaygo, was fined $2,100 for violations of COVID-19 Workplace Safety requirements including failing to require face coverings where social distance could not be maintained, failing to maintain social distance where possible, the lack of a preparedness and response plan, failing to train employees on COVID-19 guidelines. A regular programmed inspection was initiated at a Twin Lake, MI job site, view the full citation document. 
  • Riverfront Animal Hospital location based in Lansing was fined $2,100 for violations of COVID-19 Workplace Safety requirements including the lack of a preparedness and response plan, failing to require face coverings when social distance could not be maintained, failed to designate a COVID-19 workplace supervisor, failing to conduct a daily health screening protocol and failing to post signs. An inspection was initiated following a complaint, view the full citation document. 

 

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