OSHA Fines Nebraska Beef Ltd. $274,569 After Amputation Incident -- Occupational Health & Safety

OSHA Fines Nebraska Beef Ltd. $274,569 After Amputation Incident

The company was cited for two willful and 11 serious violations.

By Robert Yaniz Jr.
Jan 10, 2024

OSHA investigation has uncovered multiple safety breaches at Nebraska Beef Ltd., a beef processing plant based in Omaha. The company now faces $274,569 in proposed penalties.

According to a release dated Jan. 5, the agency’s investigation resulted from a severe hand injury an employee received in June 2023. The incident led to a medically necessitated amputation three weeks later. Investigators found that the injured worker had their fingertip caught in a forklift attachment while assisting in material positioning.

OSHA concluded Nebraska Beef Ltd. had failed to implement necessary safety measures, including the absence of lockout/tagout procedures for hydraulic dock plates and enclosures. The company also lacked safety protocols for material handling, exposing workers to live electrical parts. OSHA cited Nebraska Beef Ltd. with two willful and 11 serious violations

“An employee of Nebraska Beef Ltd. suffered a permanent injury because the company knowingly ignored safety measures that are meant to prevent this very type of incident,” OSHA Area Director Matthew Thurlby in Omaha said in a statement. “The company must reassess its safety training and procedures immediately to keep other employees from suffering needless injuries.”

Some of the violations found at Nebraska Beef Ltd. include the failure to isolate energy during service and maintenance of dock levelers, unsafe working surfaces, fall hazards on platforms and ladders, lack of readily available eye wash and drenching facilities, electrical hazards, absence of kits to handle chemical spills, improperly trained forklift operators and unsafe battery maintenance.

Nebraska Beef Ltd. now has 15 business days to comply with the citations and penalties, request an informal conference with OSHA's area director or contest the agency’s findings.

About the Author

Robert Yaniz Jr. is the Content Editor of Occupational Health & Safety.

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