Mississippi Manufacturer Cited After Fatal Accident
Last week, OSHA cited Howard Industries Inc. in Mississippi for exposing employees to struck-by and fall hazards after a fatality at the facility.
Howard Industries Inc., a manufacturer and supplier of electrical transmission and distribution equipment, is facing $53,040 in penalties after a workplace fatality. The company reportedly failed to protect its workers from struck-by and fall hazards.
The employee was performing a leak test on a transformer when a drive chain supporting the equipment failed. After an OSHA inspection, it was determined that the company failed to ensure employees did the following: use appropriate drive and safety chains; properly inspect, use, and maintain the chains; conduct periodic inspection of the energy control procedures; ensure that procedures for using the leak test device explained how to isolate or control the release of hazardous energy; and provide fall protection.
Regularly inspecting equipment, training employees on the hazards they are exposed to, and using proper precautions are all crucial aspects to keeping employees safe, explained OSHA Jackson Area Director Courtney Bohannon.
OSHA provides resources on controlling hazardous energy and an interactive lockout/tagout training program.
The company has 15 business days from receipt of the citations and proposed penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
Read more about the
citation from the
OSHA news release.