A regulatory agency has cited Sign Source USA Inc for 26 safety and health violations, including failure to provide forklift training and failure to mark forklift attachments properly with load capacities.

The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) proposes total penalties of USD67,400.

The Lima-based custom sign manufacturer faces 11 serious safety violations including the forklift-related hazards, failures to remove wood and metal scraps presenting trip and laceration hazards in work areas and failure to provide machine guarding on router tables.

OSHA initiated a safety inspection on 19 December based on a complaint and opened a separate health inspection on 5 January. OSHA announced the citations on 9 April.

"Sign Source USA is responsible for ensuring that its employees are properly trained and protected from known workplace safety and health hazards that can cause fires, explosions and other incidents that result in injury or illness," says Kim Nelson, OSHA's area director in Toledo, Ohio. "OSHA is committed to protecting workers on the job."

Sign Source USA has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA's area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

In 2006, an OSHA inspection at the company resulted in citations for 11 violations.

Sign Source USA was founded in 1996 as a wholesale channel letter maker and has more than 75 employees dedicated to manufacturing signage.

OSHA is an agency of the US Department of Labor.