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An Omega Protein Inc. facility in Mississippi was found to be in violation of 25 safety and health regulations after an inspection by officials from the US Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), according to sources. OSHA officials inspected the facility following the death of 24-year-old employee Christopher Hebert. Officials determined the facility lacked personal lockout devices for energy sources, which lead to the fatal accident.
“This terrible accident could have been avoided if the employer had followed OSHA’s standards for energy control procedures,” said regional OSHA director Clyde Payne. “It is the employer’s responsibility to make sure that employees are aware of and follow energy control procedures for their protection when working on any machinery.”
Most of the serious violations were related to lockout procedures or equipment. Officials also cited the facility for failure to properly train forklift operators, failure to conduct annual noise training and for a lack of a warning label on ethylene glycol. Proposed fines total $79,200.
If you have noticed hazardous conditions at your workplace, notify management immediately. If the conditions are not corrected, contact OSHA.
Please visit our website for more information on workers comp, and contact our facility for a free consultation if you have been injured on the job.
Larrimer & Larrimer, LLC—Columbus workers comp attorneys.