A 30-year-old temporary employee required extensive surgery after suffering burns and lacerations of tendons and ligaments in her right hand after she used a cutting and sealing machine at a frozen bread manufacturer that supplies products to Costco Wholesale Corp., IGA, Piggly Wiggly and others.
OSHA inspectors found that Joseph Campione Inc., a food distributor in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, ignored safety requirements to protect workers from moving machine parts.
The agency issued one willful and four serious safety violations to the company on July 22, citing the company for failing to protect workers from machinery hazards. OSHA has proposed fines of $85,800.
"Thousands of workers are injured each year because manufacturers fail to recognize machine hazards. No worker's shift should end with a hospital stay," said Christine Zortman, OSHA's area director in Milwaukee.
In its Jan. 27, 2015, inspection, OSHA found that the company's machinery lacked adequate guards. Additionally, procedures to prevent unexpected machine movement, such as using blocking and locking devices, were not in place. These violations are among OSHA's most frequently cited and can result in death or permanent disability.