OSHA Fines Company after Employee's Finger Amputated
While crimping air conditioning hoses, an Alabama man's finger was amputated due to lack of safety guards on the machine.
Pyongsan America Inc. received a willful safety violation from OSHA resulting from an accident causing an employee to lose his finger. The employee was crimping air conditioner hoses and his finger amputated.
Following the accident, OSHA began an investigation at the Auburn, Ala. facility in September 2012. The proposed penalties total $69,300.
Pyongsan America, a manufacturer of automotive parts for Hyundai Motor, received the willful violation for failing to provide guards on the crimping machines to prevent this kind of injury. "Although management was aware the crimpers and bending machines lacked machine guarding, no action was taken to protect workers from injury," said Joseph Roesler, OSHA's area director in Mobile, on OSHA's website. "It is the employer's responsibility to ensure that proper protections and safety procedures are followed at all times."