Cleveland Manufacturer Faces OSHA Citations After Two Worker Amputations
G&S Metal Products Co. Inc. faces $182,293 for safety violations involving unguarded machinery.
- By Robert Yaniz Jr.
- Dec 13, 2024
OSHA has cited Cleveland-based G&S Metal Products Co. Inc. for safety violations after two workers sustained amputations in incidents involving unguarded machinery.
According to a recent release, the first injury occurred on June 25, 2024, when a 37-year-old worker lost a limb while servicing a power press. According to OSHA, the machine cycled unexpectedly due to improperly secured pullbacks, exposing the employee to hazardous moving parts.
Just two weeks later, on July 11, 2024, a 64-year-old employee with four months on the job suffered a similar fate while clearing scrap from another mechanical power press. OSHA investigators determined the machine lacked proper guarding and had not been locked out to prevent unexpected operation during maintenance.
OSHA ultimately issued G&S Metal Products with one willful violation and five serious violations. The bakeware manufacturer now faces $182,293 in proposed penalties.
“These two workers must live with permanent injuries because their employer failed to ensure that adequate guarding was in place,” OSHA Area Director Howard Eberts in Cleveland said in a statement. “G&S Metal Products Co. Inc. must take immediate action to evaluate and address machine safety across its operations. Employers have an obligation to adhere to basic safety standards to ensure every worker returns home safely.”
G&S Metal Products was previously cited in 2017 following another worker’s amputation while adjusting a power press. In regards to the latest citations, the company now has 15 business days to comply, request an informal conference or contest the findings.
About the Author
Robert Yaniz Jr. is the Content Editor of Occupational Health & Safety.