A federal investigation into how a 35-year-old worker suffered severe leg burns, degloving of their foot and other injuries after falling into corrosive chemicals in May 2023 has found that an Ohio meat processing plant’s safety failures exposed employees to hazardous conditions.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration determined the employee at Sugar Creek Packing Co. was changing bearings on a fan motor when they fell into a tree hangar machine used to sanitize and clean hanging meat racks at the company’s Washington Court House plant.
The agency cited the company for two repeat and six serious violations and one other-than-serious violation. OSHA has assessed Sugar Creek with $277,904 in proposed penalties.
OSHA found Sugar Creek lacked required energy control procedures, commonly known as lockout/tagout. The company also failed to make sure employees wore chemically resistant clothing and were trained to perform servicing and maintenance activities on the plant’s tree wash, belly press and drench cabinet. Such procedures and training would have protected workers from contact with hazardous chemicals and machine parts, OSHA said.
Source: OSHA
Topics Ohio
Was this article valuable?
Here are more articles you may enjoy.
‘Great Resignation’ Enters Third Year as Workers Embrace AI, Upskilling, PwC Says 
As Rates Rise, Majority of Homeowners Say Insurance Industry Is in Crisis: Survey 
US P/C Insurers Post Best Q1 Underwriting Result In 17 Years 
Home Insurance at $10,000 a Year Shows California Buyers’ Pain 
