Workers' Finger Amputations Lead to Texas Firm's $57,200 Fine
OSHA began its investigation on Aug. 23, 2011, at the company's worksite following a report that two employees had fingers amputated from coming into contact with a moving saw blade while cutting material to be used as blocking and padding in the construction of manufactured homes.
OSHA has cited Mount Enterprise, Texas-based J.P. Spivey Supply for one willful and 13 serious safety and health violations after two workers had fingers amputated at the company's facility in Mount Enterprise. Proposed penalties total $57,200.
OSHA began its investigation on Aug. 23, 2011, at the company's worksite following a report that two employees had fingers amputated from coming into contact with a moving saw blade while cutting material to be used as blocking and padding in the construction of manufactured homes.
"This company willfully disregarded OSHA's machine guarding requirement for swing cut-off saws, which resulted in two employees suffering amputations," said Stephen Boyd, director of OSHA's Dallas Area Office. "These violations demonstrate an inexcusably lax attitude toward protecting workers from serious and tragic injuries."
The willful violation is for failing to ensure that required machine guarding was provided on swing cut-off saws at the point of operation and all other positions of the saw.
Serious safety and health violations include, among others, failing to implement energy control procedures for machinery with more than one energy source, ensure workers were trained on the use of powered industrial trucks, ensure that electrical equipment was approved for locations that contain combustible dust, and implement a hearing conservation program to protect workers from excessive noise levels.
J.P. Spivey Supply manufactures bracing and blocking for mobile homes.