OSHA proposes fines for Aunt Kitty's Food and Kenric Steel, settles with Regal Industrial

VINELAND – A workplace safety regulator has proposed a fine of almost $465,000 for a local firm that makes soups, sauces and canned foods.The penalty against Aunt Kitty’s Food Inc. is the third local action in recent weeks by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.The federal agency on March 6 said it settled litigation with Regal Industrial Corp. over safety violations at its Millville plant.

Regal is to pay a penalty of $299,000 for 17 violations, OSHA said. The manufacturer initially was accused of 21 violations and faced a $575,000 fine in October 2022.

And OSHA last month proposed a fine of almost $350,000 for alleged hazards at Kenric Steel LLC of Millville.It claims workplace investigations found multiple safety violations at each company.Representatives of the firms could not be reached for immediate comment.

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Aunt Kitty’s Food was given 15 days to accept OSHA’s penalty, request an informal conference or take its challenge to an independent commission.Kenric has challenged OSHA’s claims, the agency said.

Alleged safety violations at Aunt Kitty's Food Corp.

Among other allegations, OSHA said Aunt Kitty’s Food allowed workers to service and clean equipment without precautions that would prevent the machines from starting unexpectedly.

Those precautions “can make the difference between an employee ending a shift safely and suffering a serious, life-altering injury,” Paula Dixon-Roderick, OSHA’s area director in Marlton, said in a March 12 statement.

In addition, Aunt Kitty’s was cited for a lack of proper guarding on a conveyor system.And the Vineland plant, which also makes pasta, vegetables and gravy, was accused of failing to keep its work floor clean and dry after leaks and spills.Aunt Kitty’s Food is a subsidiary of Hanover Foods Corp. of Pennsylvania.It was accused of seven violations, including one considered willful and four viewed as serious.

Allegations against Kenric LLC

In the other case, Kenric was accused of four willful and seven serious violatons. It’s investigation was spurred by a complaint, OSHA noted in a Feb. 21 statement.“A few months before our inspection, Kenric Steel hired a safety consultant who identified multiple safety and health hazards at the Millville fabrication shop” Dixon-Roderick said. “However, the company failed to correct the hazards, which is unacceptable.”Among other claims, OSHA alleged Kenric failed to train new employees on chemical safety and did not medically evaluate newcomers required to wear respirators.The investigation at Kenric was prompted by a complaint, OSHA noted.

It said a 2022 investigation found violations at Regal that included a failure to train workers on respirator use and forklift operations.

Regal also was accused of failing to provide fall protection and ensuring the safe use of electricity where flammable paints were sprayed.

The settlement calls for Regal to consult with workers in establishing a safety and health management program.

The company also is to train workers "in a language and vocabulary they can understand," an OSHA statement said.

Regal Industrial provides abrasive blasting and coating services.Jim Walsh is a senior reporter for the Courier-Post, Burlington County Times and The Daily Journal. Email: Jwalsh@cpsj.com.

This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: OSHA alleges workplace safety violations at Millville, Vineland firms