Workers found to be repeatedly exposed to amputation hazards at Canton Drop Forge in Ohio

Employer name: Canton Drop Forge

Investigation site: 4575 Southway SW, Canton, Ohio

Date investigation initiated and what prompted inspection: On April 23, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Cleveland office initiated an inspection at Canton Drop Forge. The agency responded to a complaint alleging workers were exposed to machines lacking safety guards in the die shop. The company creates custom iron and steel forgings for high performance use in the transportation, aerospace and power generation industries.

Investigation findings: Investigators cited one repeated violation for exposing workers to operating parts of machinery by failing to install safety mechanisms. The company also lacked procedures to ensure equipment was turned off to prevent it from operating during service and maintenance such as the changing of dies, resulting in a serious violation.

The company was cited for similar violations twice in both April and May of 2011. In April 2011, a worker was killed at the company when he was struck by a loader bucket at the facility. Damaged equipment contributed to that fatality.

"Canton Drop Forge needs to make immediate improvements to its procedures to prevent workers from being exposed to dangerous machinery which can lead to amputations, cuts and other serious injuries," said Howard Eberts, OSHA's area director in Cleveland. "Lack of safety mechanisms on machines continues to be among the most frequently cited OSHA violations and that is unacceptable."

Proposed Penalties: $77,000

To ask questions, obtain compliance assistance, file a complaint, or report workplace hospitalizations, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, the public should call OSHA's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742) or the agency's Cleveland Area Office at 216-447-4194.