Stanley Black + Decker cited in electrical arc blast severely injuring worker
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The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration said Tuesday that it cited tool manufacturer Stanley Black + Decker after a maintenance electrician suffered severe burns during an electrical arc blast at a company facility.
OSHA cited the company for one “willful” violation and four “serious” violations after a December 2023 inspection at MTD Products Inc. in Willard, Ohio. The agency proposed $222,392 in penalties.
Stanley Black + Decker, headquartered in New Britain, Connecticut, lacked safe work practices and training for electrical maintenance employees, OSHA said. It also exposed workers to fall hazards and failed to enforce lockout/tagout procedures for energized equipment.
The electrical arc blast occurred as the maintenance electrician was replacing fuses during the repair of an industrial oven, according to OSHA.
The worker was hospitalized and treated for severe burns.
Stanley Black + Decker, which has 56,000 employees in more than 60 countries, has 15 business days to contest the citation and proposed penalties.
