OSHA has cited Alabama lumber and flooring manufacturer Miller & Co. for failing to protect employees from struck-by hazards after a worker was fatally injured at the company’s Selma, Ala., facility. The company faces $218,192 in proposed penalties for the alleged OSHA violations.
The employee was fatally struck by a piece of wood while attempting to clear a jammed machine. OSHA cited the company for failing to lockout equipment prior to beginning maintenance, for failing to ensure machines were properly guarded, and for failing to train employees on lockout/tagout procedures.
According to an OSHA news release, Miller & Co. developed an alternative energy control procedure for clearing equipment jams after an employee suffered an amputation in 2018, but the company did not implement the procedure.
“Employers are required to identify safety hazards, implement safety measures, and train workers on the proper use of safety equipment,” OSHA Mobile, Ala., area director Jose Gonzalez said in a news release. “Tragedies such as this can be prevented if employers comply with workplace standards, as required by law.”
Miller & Co. has 15 business days from receipt of the citations and proposed penalties to comply, request an informal conference with their OSHA area director, or contest the findings.
