Illinois Employer Saddled with Fine after Injury to Worker

Employers must obey calls for safety in order to properly protect their employees.
An Illinois auto parts manufacturer’s decision to ignore machine safety procedures led to the loss of a 58-year-old worker’s fingertip, U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspectors have determined.

OSHA inspected FIC America Corp. in January at its Carol Stream location after the employee suffered the fingertip amputation while servicing a machine. The agency cited the company on July 1, for one repeated, nine serious and one other-than-serious safety violation. Proposed penalties total $89,000.

Inspectors found FIC failed to use safety procedures and locking devices to prevent the machine from operating during service and maintenance. The worker caught his finger in a pinch point as he serviced the machine, which caused the injury.

Eight of the safety violations noted by inspectors involve failing to protect workers from machinery operating parts. They include the following:

• Lack of machine guards.
• Failing to establish procedures, such as using locking devices to prevent unintentional machinery operation during service and maintenance.
• Not training workers on machine safety procedures.
  Inspectors also found the company did not implement safe electrical work practices for employees troubleshooting energized circuits and did not provide electrical protective equipment, including gloves and face protection.

In another inspection at the facility on Jan. 7, OSHA cited FIC for its failure to protect workers from fall hazards by providing landing platforms and clearance in climbing spaces. The company paid a penalty of $7,000 to resolve those safety citations.

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

Author Kori Shafer-Stack, Editor, Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. is an expert in post-injury response procedures and part of the Amaxx team helping companies reduce their workers compensation costs by 20% to 50%. www.reduceyourworkerscomp.com. Contact: [email protected].

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