An engineering and manufacturing company based in Tijeras is facing more than $12,000 in state fines after a workplace safety inspection uncovered multiple safety violations that exposed workers to flying shrapnel and put them in danger of being caught in moving machine parts.
According to records from the New Mexico Environment Department’s (NMED) Occupational Health and Safety Bureau (OHSB), compliance officers visited Mountain Vista System Solutions in December and found serious safety violations related to a bench grinder, a common piece of equipment used for sharpening tools and grinding materials. Inspectors said these violations could have led to serious worker injury or even death.
One violation involved a missing or improperly adjusted work rest, a part meant to stabilize materials and prevent dangerous jams. Another issue cited was the absence of a tongue guard, which helps shield users from flying debris. Each of those violations carried a $5,628 penalty, totaling $11,256 in serious violations.
Inspectors also noted two less severe infractions: The company had not been conducting monthly inspections on fire extinguishers, and employees lacked access to required safety data sheets for hazardous chemicals.
Mountain Vista Systems Solutions is a tech company that takes sensor ideas from concept to finished product. It did not respond to a request for comment.
