Central Transport Fined More Than $100,000 by OSHA
The trucking company Central Transport has been cited for five workplace violations by the Occupational Safety Health Administration at its trucking terminal in Rock Island, Illinois following a formal complaint.


The trucking company Central Transport has been cited for five workplace violations by the Occupational Safety Health Administration at its trucking terminal in Rock Island, Illinois following a formal complaint.
An OSHA's inspection in March 2014 found repeat and willful violations that involved defective powered industrial vehicles and lack of fall protection. Proposed penalties total $108,020.
OSHA opened the inspection under a program that was implemented to reduce fatalities and injuries caused by these vehicles, which it said have been the source of 105 occupational fatalities from 2005 through 2013 in Illinois, Wisconsin and Ohio.
OSHA issued one willful violation for failing to remove from service a forklift that needed repair. A willful violation is one committed with intentional, knowing or voluntary disregard for the law's requirements, or with plain indifference to worker safety and health, according to the agency.
Three repeat violations were issued, including failure to provide adequate fall protection at dock door openings because it found guardrails were not in place, which exposed workers to falls of more than 4 feet. The company was cited for failure to inspect forklifts before use and for not grounding electrical equipment properly.
Similar violations were cited in 2009, 2010 and 2013 at locations in Georgia, Ohio and Mississippi. OSHA said a repeat violation exists when an employer previously has been cited for the same or a similar violation of a standard, regulation, rule or order at any other facility in federal enforcement states within the last five years.
One serious violation was issued for having an exit door locked from the inside. A serious violation occurs when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known, according to the agency
Central Transport employs about 4,300 workers at 170 locations nationwide. The Rock Island terminal has about 20 employees.
The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA's area director, or contest the findings.
More Safety & Compliance

More Trailer Data Through the Same Seven-Way [Video]
Can trucking’s standard seven-way connector handle more cameras and trailer data? Grote’s Adam Slade shows HDT how the company is using new technology with its 4See trailer system, not only to add a new backup camera but also to expand other capabilities — without adding another connection.
Read More →
PrePass Intelligence Mines Fleet Bypass, Toll and Safety Data
PrePass Intelligence helps fleets measure bypass savings, flag potential toll overcharges, and spot suspicious transactions by combining data from separate systems.
Read More →
Fatal Crash Exposes Toll Plaza Risks
An NTSB investigation found that last-minute lane changes and large speed differences at an Ohio toll plaza created a hazard the truck driver couldn't avoid in time.
Read More →
When Language Stops the Truck: The Return of ELP Out-of-Service Orders
English language proficiency rules for commercial drivers aren’t new, but renewed out-of-service enforcement has raised the stakes. Here’s what carriers need to know before a driver reaches a roadside inspection.
Read More →
A Camera Isn't a Safety Program. Here's What Brokers Are Screening for Now
Footage alone may not be enough to pass broker vetting processes. Here's what counts as a defensible safety program now.
Read More →
Marijuana and Trucking’s Drug-Testing Dilemma
Marijuana is getting stronger, laws are changing, and drug tests still can’t reliably establish impairment. What does that mean for truck drivers and the fleets that employ them?
Read More →
PrePass, Kodiak Connect Driverless Trucks to Roadside Enforcement
The system will allow enforcement agencies to verify Enhanced Inspection information and decide whether Kodiak’s autonomous trucks can bypass roadside screening sites.
Read More →
From One Generation to the Next: How Mentorship Builds Safer Truck Drivers
After three decades in trucking, Harold Perry shares what he's learned about driver safety, mentorship, and helping the next generation build confidence behind the wheel.
Read More →
FMCSA Pauses Biennial-Update Enforcement Amid Motus Transition
Carriers whose updates were due on or after June 1 have more time, while FMCSA works to stabilize its new registration system and warns of phishing sites impersonating its new carrier registration system, Motus.
Read More →
ZF Expands Commercial Vehicle Push in North America
ZF is expanding its North American commercial-vehicle presence with new transmission applications, electrification, trailer technology and autonomous-driving systems.
Read More →

