Workers Seriously Injured When Power is Unexpectedly Turned On
The company, Peconic Recycling & Transfer Corp., faces $119,000 in fines.
OSHA has cited Peconic Recycling & Transfer Corp. for one willful and 11 serious violations of workplace safety standards at the company's facility in Cutchogue, N.Y. As a result, the company faces $119,000 in proposed fines.
According to the agency's news release, three employees cleaning screens inside a cylindrical screening device were seriously injured when another employee unexpectedly started the machine. OSHA determined that Peconic lacked written procedures to lock out machines' power sources to prevent such an incident. The company also failed to maintain a program to manage employees' work in confined spaces safely and failed to train employees to protect themselves against hazards.
"This incident and serious injuries suffered by three employees were preventable. The company knew programs needed to be in place to address and prevent these hazards, yet did not provide required and adequate safeguards," said Anthony Ciuffo, OSHA's area director for Long Island. "For the well-being of its employees, Peconic Recycling & Transfer Co. must take prompt and effective corrective action to ensure that this never happens again."