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An industrial cleaning company is facing federal fines following a fatal accident at its facility last fall in Wheeling, West Virginia, according to the Daily Herald. Bernardo Martinez, 37, was cleaning a tank on a ladder at the facility when he lost his footing after inhaling methylene chloride vapors and fell to his death.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) inspected the Phoenix Industrial Cleaning facility and issued 28 safety violations. Proposed fines total $77,200.
“No job should cost a person’s life because of an employer’s failure to properly protect and train workers,” said OSHA’s Diane Turek. “Phoenix Industrial Cleaning failed in its responsibility to evaluate working conditions and provide proper respiratory and personal protective equipment to workers cleaning storage tanks containing hazardous chemicals.”
Working in confined spaces with hazardous chemicals is extremely dangerous. Management must ensure that all safety regulations are adhered to in order to prevent this type of accident.
If you have been injured on the job, you may be entitled to workers comp benefits. Please contact our firm today for a free consultation.
Larrimer & Larrimer, LLC—Columbus Workers Comp Attorneys