Pennsylvania metal finishing firm cited after workplace fatality

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration said Monday that it cited a Pennsylvania metal finishing company after a worker was killed in a workplace accident in September 2023.

OSHA cited Valencia-based Vorteq Coil Finishers LLC for two willful and two serious violations for failing to implement lockout/tagout procedures and not installing machine guarding. The agency proposed $345,685 in penalties.

The worker was cleaning a chrome roller on a coater machine when he was pulled into the device and suffered fatal injuries.

The agency said Vorteq knew of the dangers posed in cleaning the machine as it was in operation but that supervisors failed to take steps to protect workers.

OSHA also placed the company in its Severe Violator Enforcement Program.

Vorteq has 15 business days to contest the citation and proposed penalties.