MIOSHA cites 19 businesses for COVID-19 violations

Detroit — The Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration, MIOSHA, recently issued coronavirus citations to 19 different businesses for "serious violations" that could put workers in harm’s way, the agency confirmed Thursday.

Citations were issued under MIOSHA's “general duty” clause, which requires employers to have a workplace "free from recognized hazards that are causing, or are likely to cause, death or serious physical harm to the employee." One of these citations carries a fine of up to $7,000. MIOSHA's most recent citations total $51,400 in penalties. In August, the administration cited six businesses, fining them a total of $33,400, for failing to uphold public health safety protocols during the pandemic.

MIOSHA's general industry and construction industry enforcement divisions conducted on-site inspections and found 19 companies had deficiencies in health screenings, face coverings, employee training, cleaning measures and overall preparedness plans.

The Detroit News tried contacting the companies cited that it could find contact information for. The businesses cited are:

• American Eagle Home Improvement in Bangor: Fined $2,100 for lack of social distancing and failure to use masks or face coverings.
• Belle Tire location at 50720 Van Dyke in Shelby Township: Fined $7,000 for 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. A Belle Tire spokesman said in a statement:  “Per the Governor’s Executive Orders we have a COVID-19 Preparedness & Response Plan — including requirements for all employees and customers to wear facemasks.  Belle Tire is committed to being compliant with all federal, state and local health and COVID-19 safety requirements.”
• Americus Grill location in Brighton: Fined $400 for failing to designate a workplace COVID-19 supervisor, failing to follow the preparedness and response plan, failing to install physical barriers at 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. 
• Dave’s Glass Service Inc. in Kalamazoo: Fined $2,100 for 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.
• ABSR Inc., Story Roofing Company Inc., in Buckley: Fined $4,200 for 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. The business declined to comment when contacted by The News.
• B D Construction in Pontiac: Fined $2,100 for 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.
• Daniel Sanchez, a residential construction company based in Marietta, Georgia, working in Plainwell, Michigan: Fined $2,100 for 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. 
• D&D Roofing 4G LLC., based in Fremont: Fined $2,800 for lack of a preparedness and response plan and failure to train employees on COVID-19 guidelines. 
• Fresh Pak, a produce packing facility in Detroit: Fined $4,900 for 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.
• Gillespie Roofing in Lansing: Fined $2,100 for 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.  Owner Larry Gillespie said on Thursday: "We have a COVID plan now. We will comply with whatever OSHA wants us to do."
• Home Depot at 25451 Michigan Avenue Dearborn Heights: Fined $4,000 for 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. 
• Nain Construction in Grand Rapids: Fined $2,100 for 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. 
• Pilot Company, a fuel supplier location based at 6158 New US 223 Ottawa Lake: Fined $3,500 for 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. 
• A&S Warren Foods Inc, Shoppers Market Warren in Warren: Fined $1,500 for 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. The business declined to comment.
• Valentin Roofing LLC in Kalamazoo:  Fined $2,100 for 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. 
• West Olive Nursery Inc., a plant center and greenhouse location based in West Olive: Fined $2,100 for 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.
• GVC Painting Co. Inc. in Milford: Fined $2,100 for 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. 
• Kauffman Construction Inc. in Newaygo: Fined $2,100 for 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.
• Riverfront Animal Hospital in Lansing: Fined $2,100 for 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. 

The cited companies have 15 working days from receipt of the citations to contest the violations and penalties. Employers must prove they have resolved the issues.

khall@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @bykaleahall

Staff Writer Jordyn Grzelewski contributed.