When you get hurt at work, it’s usually because someone made a mistake or was negligent in warning you about risks. Most employers take safety very seriously, and few will ever be found to have violated regulations and laws created to keep you safe. The problem isn’t those workplaces; instead, it’s the workplaces run by employers who take a lackadaisical approach to safety that you have to watch out for. In those workplaces, it’s more likely for you to get hurt or be killed.
That’s what happened in this case involving a man who was crushed. The worker-death case in Wisconsin has led to a potential $172,000 in fines against his employer. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration reported that Crystal Finishing Systems was issued 10 safety violations for the death of a 51-year-old man and other safety violations that took place on the job site.
The worker was killed when he was crushed between a tank and overhead crane; Now, the company needs to take serious steps to resolve safety issues. It claims that around 90 percent of the safety violations had nothing to do with the man’s death, but OSHA found that the company had not provided adequate personal protective equipment, failed to train about the hazardous chemicals at the facility, failed to protect ‘ walking surfaces and failed to adequately guard machines to prevent worker injuries.
The company reported that it will be contesting the citations, while OSHA regional administrator has said that the company needs to improve its health and safety programs and procedures to prevent further incidents.
Source: WSAU, “$172,000 fine in worker death case,” Dec. 12, 2016
