Then there is the Steingass Mechanical's approach as described in a recent OSHA inspection report: "The foreman was very uncooperative and gave the CSHO [the OSHA inspector] a paper that stated the foreman is not to give CSHO any information, not to permit CSHO to talk to employees and not to permit an inspection."

Not surprisingly, when OSHA finally gained access to that job site, even though Steingass Mechanical had advance notice that OSHA was coming, OSHA found a serious violation of scaffolding rules. An employee was working on a mobile scaffold with unlocked casters and there were additional violations "concerning the lack of training for employees working on scaffolding." OSHA concluded that the worker was in danger of severe contusions and abrasions, and issued a serious violation and proposed a $750 fine against Steingass Mechanical.

Steingass Mechanical’s "tell them nothing policy" was not the result of a foreman having a bad day, but it was official Steingass Mechanical company policy. As OSHA discovered, "the foreman ... referred CSHO to an instruction sheet from the company which stated the foreman was not to assist [sic] or participate in the inspection [sic]."

Steingass Mechanical’s policy of attempting to stonewall OSHA did not save the company at this job site at 997 West Aurora Road in Sagamore, Ohio. OSHA issued a serious citation and proposed a fine against Steingass Mechanical. (Inspection # 302506449)

Less than one year later, OSHA inspected another Steingass Mechanical job site. This site was located at the new high school at 9530 Bauer Avenue in Windham, Ohio. On May 15, 2000 OSHA issued yet another serious violation notice against Steingass Mechanical and proposed a $1,400 fine. This time OSHA found that Steingass Mechanical did not use ground fault circuit interrupters or an assured equipment grounding conductor program. Specifically, an "electrical cord furnishing power for a RIGID 300 pipe threader did not have a permanent and continuous" electrical grounding device. OSHA stated this violation left the workers in danger of suffering burns and an impact injury. Steingass Mechanical’s work was stopped immediately and the employees left the site. (Inspection #118122589)

A 2:1 ratio of Serious & Repeated Violations to Other

(Minor) Violations (20 Serious & Repeated to 10 Other)