OSHA Cites Company for Amputation Hazards -- Occupational Health & Safety

OSHA Cites Company for Amputation Hazards

The agency had cited Interlake Mecalux Inc. for the second time this year for allegedly exposing workers to amputation hazards.

Jul 17, 2014

OSHA has cited Interlake Mecalux Inc., an Illinois storage system manufacturer, for allegedly exposing workers to amputation hazards by failing to have adequate guards on dangerous machinery, according to a report from the agency. This is the second time this year OSHA has issued citations to the company.

During the most recent inspection, in March 2014 at the Pontiac plant, OSHA found two repeat and two serious violations and has proposed penalties of $47,520. In February 2014, the agency also issued citations to the company for exposing workers to amputation hazards. The recent repeat violation was for failure to provide required machine guarding and protect workers from moving machine parts during servicing and maintenance. The complaint inspection was initiated under OSHA's National Emphasis Program on Amputation Hazards. The company also received another repeat violation for failing to label containers containing hazardous chemicals properly, something the company was cited for in February.

"Interlake Mecalux continues to put its employees at risk of amputation and death by not correcting known dangers at all locations," said Tom Bielema, OSHA's area director in Peoria, in the press release. "When a company is cited at one of its locations, it has the responsibility to improve and correct similar violations at all its plants."

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