Pie Maker Minces Fingertip, Bakery Fined $229,400
Violations include exposing workers to combustible dust, fall and electrical hazards, among others.
OSHA has cited Lone Star Bakery Inc. for 32 serious, one repeat, and 16 other-than-serious violations following an amputation incident and multiple inspections at two of the company's facilities in China Grove, Texas. Violations include exposing workers to combustible dust, fall and electrical hazards, among others. Proposed penalties total $229,400.
"This company has jeopardized the health and safety of its workers," said Jeff Funke, OSHA's area director in San Antonio. "Employees were exposed to many hazards, including excessive accumulations of combustible flour dust that could have ignited and caused serious injuries."
OSHA's San Antonio Area Office initiated a safety and health inspection on Oct. 18, 2010, at the company's facility following a fingertip amputation incident on the pie processing line. A second safety inspection began on Dec. 15, 2010, at the company's facility as the result of a fire that occurred from excessive buildup of bread materials in the ovens. A second health inspection was initiated Jan. 24 following a report that employees were being exposed to excessive levels of noise and not being protected by a hearing conservation program.
The serious violations include failing to ensure that employees were protected from falls; to clean combustible dust from workroom floors and other surfaces; to cover drain openings; to ensure that exits were free from obstructions and unlocked; and to ensure electrical deficiencies were corrected.
The repeat violation is failing to ensure that a metal junction box was permanently mounted in accordance with the listing and labeling required by the manufacturer. OSHA cited Lone Star Bakery for a similar violation following a 2006 inspection that resulted in total penalties of $78,300.
Other-than-serious violations include failing to record each work-related injury or illness case that met general recording criteria, and complete an incident report form for each work-related injury or illness case that met the general recording criteria for both locations from 2007 to 2010.
Lone Star Bakery is a private commercial bakery that employs about 500 workers at the two China Grove facilities.