U.S. Department of Labor Cites Alabama Plastics Manufacturer Following Employee Fatality

HELENA, AL – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited ABC Polymer Industries LLC, after an employee suffered fatal injuries when she was pulled into a plastics recycling machine. The company faces $195,144 in proposed penalties.

OSHA investigated the Helena plastics manufacturer following the August 2017 fatality. The employer received one willful citation for failing to provide machine guarding to protect employees from caught-in and amputation hazards. The employer was also cited for repeat, serious, and other-than-serious violations, including failing to evaluate all powered industrial trucks every three years; not having specific safety procedures to shut down or isolate stored energy; and failing to install a rail system on both sides of an open platform.

“Employers must comply with required safety and health standards to protect workers from exposure to hazards,” said OSHA Birmingham Area Office Director Ramona Morris. “This company’s failure to install machine guarding equipment has resulted in a preventable tragedy.”

The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to ensure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education, and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.