Amputation at furniture factory leads to more than $50K in OSHA fines

June 13th, 2016 by Dakota Software Staff Industry News

A furniture factory based in Georgia recently received fines totaling more than $50,000 due to a workplace amputation to one of its workers. The facility, located in western Georgia close to the Alabama border, received a total of five safety violation citations from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. OSHA categorized four of those violations as serious in nature, with the fifth classified as willful. According to industry news source Woodworking Network, OSHA issued the fines on May 10. The furniture manufacturer has the standard 15 business days to pay the fines, contest the findings with the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission or ask for a conference with the area director for OSHA.

The serious accident
The action taken by OSHA stems from an incident that occurred in late 2015. An employee of the relatively small facility, which employs about 50 staff members, lost the tip of his middle finger while working with a saw blade that lacked required guards. The worker also suffered significant injuries to his index finger and thumb in the form of deep cuts, Woodworking Network reported.

OSHA's inspection of the worksite following the injury cited the absence of protective elements on the saw that amputated the worker as well as a number of other issues. Among the four serious violations noted were a failure by the manufacturer to properly secure drill presses used by employees and implement the required guarding. OSHA also cited the company for putting workers in harm's way through electric shock and fire hazards, said industry publication Furniture Today. In total, the furniture maker faces $58,520 in penalties.

"This horrific and totally preventable injury is a stark reminder of the dangers of disregarding OSHA standards," said Christi Griffin, OSHA's director of the Atlanta-West Office in a press release. "Aside from the saw that injured the worker, we found other unguarded machines and hazards that [the company] must address immediately, before another incident happens."

EHS compliance is a major concern for businesses of all types, especially with OSHA's recent work toward increasing the fines associated with penalties and the push toward more avenues for enforcement of criminal penalties. The right EHS software helps companies through the compliance process, increasing accuracy and substantially reducing the chance of facing OSHA penalties.