After Worker's Hand Crushed in Hydraulic Press, Company Cited for Serious Safety Violations
OSHA says that Lauren Manufacturing ignored machine safety hazards.
After a hydraulic press crushed the left hand of a machine operator of Lauren Manufacturing LLC of New Philadelphia, Ohio, the company has been issued one willful, four serious, and one other-than-serious safety violation by OSHA. The rubber seal and gasket manufacturer faces penalties totaling $105,000. The victim, a 15-year employee, has endured three surgeries for her injuries.
"This employee may never come back to work because Lauren Manufacturing ignored safety requirements that would have prevented this catastrophic injury, which affects her life and livelihood," said Deborah Zubaty, OSHA's area director in Columbus. "Each year, hundreds of workers are injured on-the-job because employers, like this one, fail to provide a safe work environment, as the law requires."
The willful violation was given for exposing workers to machinery operating parts. Four serious violations were given for failing to develop and train workers on steps for shutting down or isolating energy sources to machinery during maintenance and service.