Municipal facilities in Hurley, a town in Grant County, are facing steep penalties after workplace safety inspections uncovered hazards ranging from fire risks to unmarked electrical panels and missing chemical safety protocols.
The New Mexico Environment Department’s (NMED) Occupational Health and Safety Bureau (NM OSHA) issued the citations following Jan. 22 inspections of the Hurley Maintenance Department, Police Department, Town Hall/Community Center and Town Pool.
At the Maintenance Department, inspectors couldn’t find emergency eyewash stations despite the use of corrosive cleaners. They did find combustible materials stored in a furnace room, though. The total proposed penalty is $10,428.
The Police Department was penalized $4,470 for failing to perform monthly fire extinguisher inspections and for electrical panel access being blocked.
At Hurley’s Town Hall and Community Center, hazards included boxes stacked within inches of light fixtures, obstructed exits and uninspected fire extinguishers. Total proposed fines were $4,470.
The most serious safety issues were found at the Town Pool, where there were no eyewash facilities in the chemical room, no written hazard communication plan and no employee training for handling substances like chlorine, muriatic acid and cyanuric acid. Proposed penalties totaled $10,431.
In all four facilities, inspectors cited problems that could increase the risk of injury or slow emergency response.
