OSHA issues five-figure fine, finds six violations following IL worker death

December 2nd, 2016 by Dakota Software Staff Industry News

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration recently issued a substantial fine after a site visit found six regulatory violations. The business, based in Illinois, was subject to the inspection after an employee working with metal stored inside a scrap pit fell into the containment area and was eventually pulled through an attached baller, causing his death, according to Joliet Patch. The worker was standing on a pneumatic platform before the incident occurred, but OSHA believes a piece of scrap metal cut the pneumatic line that kept the platform in a horizontal position. Without that line in place, the platform returned to its vertical orientation, ultimately causing the worker to fall into the scrap pit.

OSHA finds a variety of health and safety violations
As OSHA completed its usual process of a facility inspection the death of an employee, a number of issues were found at the worksite. The steel processing plant was cited for a total of six violations, all serious in nature. OSHA inspectors found issues related to the work processes that led to the employee's death as well as other concerns throughout the facility.

Some stairways in the steel plant lacked protective guardrails, a common fall protection concern that is frequently cited in OSHA inspections. Inspectors found managers and EHS specialists at the business failed to engage in periodic inspections of machine safety procedures. In a similar vein, evaluations for permit-required confined spaces weren't completed, as noted by Occupational Health & Safety.

Other issues found by the federal health and safety regulator were related to worker safety and industrial machines, including a lack of proper use related to lockout devices used to allow staff to safety enter dangerous areas. Inspectors also found a lack of guarding around potentially hazardous machines to protect employees and a lack of guardrails surrounding the scrap pit area, which left staff exposed to falls of approximately nine feet.

"A man died tragically and his family, friends and co-workers are left to suffer an overwhelming loss," said Kathy Webb, OSHA's area director in Calumet City. "[The employer] needs to make immediate changes to its safety and health programs to ensure workers are guarded from machine hazards at its facilities nationwide."

The company faces a total fine of $53,628 and has 15 days to respond to OSHA's issuance of violations.