Bob’s Tire in New Bedford Cited for OSHA Violations

A New Bedford company that specializes in scrap tire removal and recycling has been cited by OSHA for serious health and safety violations.

Bob's Tire Co. at 55 Brook St. was the subject of an inspection on Feb. 6 and on June 22 the Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued a citation and notification of penalty in the amount of $35,624 to the company.

According to the OSHA notification:

• Piles of shredded rubber were stacked in piles greater than 20 feet high without protection to prevent collapse or sliding of the material into the employee work area, exposing workers to "struck by" hazards.

• A yard tractor without a functioning audible back-up alarm was being used in the tire yard to move trailers, exposing workers to "struck by" hazards.

• Employees engaged in receiving used tires from the ground via a conveyor were exposed to "caught in" hazards from an in-going nip point where the conveyor belt had a gap of greater than three inches between the roller and wall.

• Employees were exposed to "struck by" and "crushed by" hazards while working and walking in an area where dump trucks, tractor trailers, wheel loaders, and other heavy equipment was being operated without a traffic control plan.

• Employees were exposed to "struck by" hazards where wheel loaders were used with snowplow attachments that were not authorized by the manufacturer for pushing used tires around the yard where employees were walking an working.

Bob's Tire Co. owner Robert Bates was given until August 11 to remediate the problems and was advised to create a traffic safety program for the yard.

Bob's Tire has been the subject of numerous complaints from neighbors about foul odors and runoff from the site.