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According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, TimkenSteel Corp., which operates plants in Canton, has been fined hundreds of thousands of dollars by U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for safety violations that resulted in a worker injured in a crane accident.
The fines come after a May crane accident, in which OSHA reported that 1,000 pounds of equipment fell on a worker on factory floor. The employee allegedly suffered a fractured left foot and several broken bones.
Following the incident, OSHA found struck-by, fall and amputation hazards at the company’s two Canton plants, according to the Plain Dealer. The agency said the fines are for workers being exposed to:
Falls due to lack of guardrails, slippery surfaces and protective equipment
A lack of locking devices, guards and other safety items on machinery
Damaged equipment
Electricalhazards
TimkenSteel is a subsidiary of Timken Co., and manufacturer’s large steel bars and seamless mechanical tubing. OSHA also cited it in November 2014 for workplace safety violations. From the time the safety inspection report was filed in October, the company would have had 15 days to respond to OSHA demands.
Workplace Safety Must Be Taken Seriously, Inspections are Important
Whenever you read stories about OSHA violations in the news, you should pay attention to the incidents that caused inspections to take place.
Some of the most common reasons why OSHA inspects employers have due to with negligence. They include issues with fall hazards, lockout/tagout violations, machine guarding safety, a lack of respiratory protections and hazard communication inadequacies.
When workers are injured in accidents caused by employer negligence, they may be able to collect workers’ compensation benefits. Employers have a duty to make sure adequate safety protections are in place to prevent on-the-job injuries from occurring.