OSHA Fines Nissan Brake Georgia $53,000

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) fined Nissan Brake Georgia $53,000 for nearly a dozen safety violations identified by inspectors at its Rock Springs factory.

The Rock Springs Nissan Brake Georgia facility was first opened nearly 15 years ago, back in 2000. Just this year, the facility was upgraded to support more than 300 employees. This is the first time the company's Rock Springs, GA facility has received a citation from OSHA.

So, what kind of violations were spotted at Nissan Brake Georgia to merit a fine totaling over $50K? OSHA Atlanta director Christi Griffin said the company failed "in its responsibility to protect employees from workplace hazards associated with unguarded equipment, electrical hazards and training workers on safety practices."

OSHA inspectors claimed that workers were able to deactivate and/or bypass safety mechanisms when servicing the facility's machines. Nissan Brake Georgia was also cited for failure to properly train its workers on electrical hazards and provide them with the necessary personal protective equipment (PPE).

Nissan Brake Georgia responded to the citations by saying that it stands behind the company's safety records, and that it's days away from work on restricted duty rate (DART) is less than half of its industry average.

“We stand behind our safety record – our DART Rate (days away from work or restricted duty rate) is less than half of our industry average. We are very proud of the efforts of our associates in achieving this accomplishment," said Jim Owen, executive vice president for Nissan Brake Georgia. "NBG will also pursue all available measures to have our concerns addressed by OSHA,” he said. “All of our 300 associates have been fully briefed on the OSHA findings, our commitment to address these findings, and our plan to seek a resolution to our concerns.”

Established in 1998, Nissan Brake Georgia manufactures automotive and non-automotive brakes for Honda, Harley Davidson and many other companies. According to the official Nissan Brake Georgia website, its company philosophy is "The future of Nissin Brake Ohio, Inc. is through the vision and involvement of our Associates."

Nissan Brake Georgia has 15 days from receipt of the citation to comply, contest, or request a meeting with the local OSHA director. There's been no word yet on how the company plans to respond.

Do you think OSHA was justified in issuing a $53,000 fine to Nissan Brake Georgia? Let us know in the comments section below!