Safety health regulators have cited National Pipe and Plastics Inc and Hoist Liftruck Manufacturing Inc, each for 16 violations.

In the National Pipe action, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued serious violations of workplace health and safety standards after a 22 March fatality. A forklift driven by a National Pipe employee struck a truck driver who was working for a separate company.

Inspectors found two of the 16 serious violations following a review related to the death of the truck driver who was picking up a load of pipes at the plant in Vestal. The forklift had an inoperative backup alarm, and the forklift driver did not have a clear view of the travel path. The total proposed penalties are USD67,000.

"Establishing safety protocols to address foot traffic in these areas would have helped prevent this tragic incident," says Chris Adams, OSHA's area director for Syracuse, New York. "National Pipe should have maintained equipment properly, such as the forklift's backup alarm, and ensured forklift operators maintained focus on their path of direction."

National Pipe believes the findings are without merit and is contesting the citations.

In the Hoist Liftruck action, the agency cited health and safety violations that carry penalties of USD235,800.

Failure to conduct daily and shift inspections of powered industrial vehicles was among several repeat violations.

OSHA cited Hoist for two willful safety violations for failing to provide welding screens for workers exposed to welding arcs and for violations of the respiratory protection program.

Other repeat violations involve failing to provide hazard communication training, ensure equipment is properly grounded and document monthly crane and hook inspections. The same violations were cited in April 2012 at the Bedford Heights facility.

OSHA is a unit of the US Department of Labor.