Manufacturer cited for exposing workers to amputation hazards
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The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration said Wednesday it cited a manufacturer after discovering numerous machine safety violations at its Itasca, Illinois, plant that expose workers to amputation hazards.
OSHA cited Walker Midwest LLC, a division of Ontario, Canada-based Walker Stamping, for one willful violation and 13 serious violations following a July inspection that took place after the agency received a complaint under the National Emphasis Program on Amputations in Manufacturing Industries.
The company was issued $298,453 in proposed penalties. It has 15 business days to contest the citation and proposed penalties.
OSHA said Walker Midwest failed to train workers on proper machine safety procedures and allowed them to operate unguarded machines.
The July inspection also discovered that employees were engaged in maintenance and servicing work on the machines without lockout/tagout procedures in place.
