OSHA Fines Ohio Flooring Manufacturer $255K After Severe Worker Injury
Graf Custom Hardwoods was cited with 14 safety violations following the incident.
- By Robert Yaniz Jr.
- Nov 29, 2024
Ohio-based hardwood flooring manufacturer faces $255,528 in penalties after OSHA investigators identified 14 safety violations. Inspections at Appalachian Wood Floors Inc.—operating as Graf Custom Hardwoods—followed a May 2024 incident in which a 23-year-old worker suffered a partial arm amputation while troubleshooting a machine.
According to a recent release, the injury occurred when the safety device on a rip saw had been bypassed, exposing the worker to the machine’s rotating blades. OSHA determined employees were not properly trained in lockout/tagout procedures. So the practice was not enforced during maintenance, blade changes and cleaning tasks.
OSHA's investigation also revealed unguarded nip points on equipment such as tilt hoists and chop saws, electrical safety hazards and insufficient forklift training. Similar safety lapses were identified at the company’s second facility. In 2022, OSHA found similar safety breaches at the company led to citations for machine safety violations.
“A preventable tragedy has left a young man with a permanent, life-altering injury,” OSHA Area Director Ken Montogomery in Cincinnati said in a statement. “Bypassing machine safety procedures puts workers at extreme risk. Appalachian Wood Floors must make worker safety a priority by ensuring proper training, enforcing safety standards, and maintaining machine safety guards to prevent future incidents.”
Part of OSHA’s Severe Violator Enforcement Program, Appalachian Wood Floors has 15 business days to comply with the penalties, request an informal conference with OSHA or contest the findings before an independent review commission.
About the Author
Robert Yaniz Jr. is the Content Editor of Occupational Health & Safety.