(PLAINFIELD) A southwest suburban electronics recycling facility faces fines of more than $100,000 for exposing workers to unacceptable levels of lead and cadmium in the air, according to OSHA.

Workers who separated circuit boards from recycled products at Kuusakoski US LLC in Plainfield were “overexposed to high airborne concentrations of lead and cadmium, putting them at high risk for long-term damage to the central nervous, urinary, blood and reproductive systems,” a statement from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration said.

Following an inspection that found the firm “failed to implement engineering controls and monitor employee exposure to these hazards,” the company was assessed 26 serious OSHA health violations on Sept. 24, including overexposure, OSHA said. The violations carry proposed fines of $114,800.

“Lead and cadmium can cause irreversible health damage, but Kuusakoski’s compliance programs lack information on controlling exposure levels and protecting workers through common-sense safety measures like wearing respirators and protective clothing,” Kathy Webb, OSHA area director in Calumet City, said int he statement. “The company must protect the long-term health of employees exposed to these dangerous metals.”

OSHA also cited Kuusakoski for:
–Failing to train workers on chemical hazards;
–No respiratory protection program;
–No hearing conservation program;
–Failing to provide protective clothing, showers and separate lunch facility to prevent lead contamination and ingestion; and
–Inadequate housekeeping procedures to remove lead and prevent exposure.

Kuusakoski was founded in Finland to recycle metal and electronics, and its U.S. headquarters is in Plainfield, according to OSHA.