Michigan OSHA investigating safety complaints about Hallmark Industrial

Michigan Public Radio is reporting that the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration has opened an investigation into allegations that Hallmark Industrial’s contractors may have violated state and federal safety regulations.

The investigation stems from a Michigan Messenger investigation published Monday, which identified allegedly undocumented workers and unsafe conditions at Hallmark’s work sites. Within 24 hours of Messenger’s report, Hallmark Industrial’s contract with Enbridge subcontractor Garner Environmental of Texas, was terminated. Hallmark bused its workers back to Texas Tuesday morning, sources have told Michigan Messenger.

The contract termination was allegedly made by Garner on their own, independent of Enbridge.

Workers were kept on the river for 12 to 14 hours a day, seven days a week, and photographs obtained by Messenger show what appear to be a number violations of safety standards. In those photos, undocumented workers are seen covered in oil and mud getting food and water. In one photo, a worker covered in oil is seen sitting on the white cooler from which workers get their water.

In addition, workers told Michigan Messenger that they are forced to use the bathroom in the wooded areas they are cleaning up. Portable toilets are not placed on the islands, and supervisors refuse to ferry workers to a worker rallying point where they have access to toilet facilities.

Michigan Public Radio reports that the safety investigation could take days to a week.

“We could wrap up an inspection in a couple days…or it could take a week,” Doug Kalinowski, the director of the state Occupational Safety and Health Administration, told the radio network.

If Hallmark Industrial is found to have violated safety rules and regulations, the radio station reports, it could be fined as much as $70,000 for each violation.