Worker Fatality Leads to Serious Violations for Rhode Island Concrete Supplier
A worker sustained fatal injuries while repairing a cement truck.
An OSHA investigation has found that a worker fatality at a Smithfield, Rhode Island concrete supplier could have been prevented had the employer established proper safety procedures.
According to a press release, on Oct. 21, 2021, an employee entered into the drum of a cement truck to install a fabricated plate onto the chute as the drum began to turn. The worker’s head was caught by the mixing fins in the drum and the worker sustained fatal injuries to the head.
The agency found that had Greenville Ready Mix Concrete Products Inc. did not establish a lockout/tagout program to prevent the cement truck drum from operating while employees serviced or maintained it, did not train employees in lockout/tagout procedures and did not conduct periodic inspections to ensure proper procedures were followed.
OSHA also found that the concrete supplier did not evaluate the workplace for permit-required confined spaces, such as inside cement truck drums. They also failed to provide fall protection while working on cement truck platforms and exposed workers to both silica dust and rotating drums and augers.
The agency issued citations for six serious safety and health violations and proposed $43,506 in penalties.
“This tragedy highlights the dangers of not ensuring lockout/tagout procedures are implemented before workers begin servicing machinery,” said OSHA Area Director Robert Sestito in Providence, Rhode Island in a press release. “Complying with OSHA standards is not optional. Employers have an obligation to abate all hazards to protect the safety and health of their workers.”