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Contractor fined for safety failures linked to worker’s death

Posted On: Nov. 29, 2021 2:51 PM CST

contractor

Following the death of a 24-year-old worker, an investigation by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration determined that a north Georgia site grading and pipeline contractor bypassed safety requirements that could have prevented the accident.

The incident occurred in May at the Dawsonville worksite after a fork attachment dislodged and struck the worker, who was transported to a local hospital where he died of his injuries.

“Like all employers, Mathis Grading must provide a workplace free of recognizable hazards by identifying and mitigating safety hazards,” OSHA Area Director Joshua Turner said in a statement. “Had established safety instructions outlined in the equipment safety manual been followed, this tragic death could have been prevented.”

OSHA cited Mathis Grading Inc., based in Cumming, Georgia, for failing to provide a workplace free from recognized hazards and not notifying OSHA of a work-related fatality within the required 8-hour reporting period. The company faces $20,480 in proposed penalties.

The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and 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.