Federal labor officials have issued 12 citations to a coastal Alabama shipbuilding company and are proposing that it pay a $41,500 fine.
U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration officials said Wednesday that among the nine serious violations the Austal USA ship building company has been cited for is failing to install railings on all staircases, allowing workers to be overexposed to copper fumes during welding and failing to ensure that employees follow safety procedures.
Labor officials say the company was also cited for using temporary cable instead of permanent wiring, mislabeling hazardous chemicals and failing to ensure that wiring wasn't damaged. Labor officials say Austal has been cited three times in the past five years.
A voice message and email to Austal weren't immediately returned.