A 58-year-old maintenance worker was killed after he was pinned between a scrap metal table and a railing at Hussmann Corp.'s Bridgeton facility, an OSHA investigation found. The agency said the company failed to prevent the table from lowering unintentionally*. As a result, Hussmann received three willful and 12 serious safety violations after the Sept. 6, 2014, incident. The company was also placed in OSHA's Severe Violator Enforcement Program.

OSHA cited Hussmann Corp. for three willful violations for not placing devices on machinery to prevent the sudden startup or movement of equipment during service and maintenance, a procedure known as lockout/tagout. The company also failed to correct numerous problems related to its lockout/tagout procedures, such as using electronic gate switches as a substitute for an energy-isolating device.

Hussmann Corp. also failed to train workers on safety procedures and lacked effective safeguards for moving parts on machinery. Inspectors identified unsafe practices related to powered industrial trucks, including allowing employees to work under a load held aloft by the vehicle, exposing them to crushed-by hazards. OSHA also discovered electrical safety hazards involving cabinets that were not closed properly to prevent contact with energized wires and using damaged electrical cables. In total, OSHA cited the company for 12 serious violations.

OSHA has proposed penalties of $272,250. To view current citations, visit https://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/Hussmann_995311_030415.pdf*.

Hussmann Corp. employs about 5,000 workers worldwide and 580 at its headquarters in Bridgeton. The company's products include refrigerated and nonrefrigerated display merchandisers, specialty display cases, self-contained display cases, LED lighting, glass doors and lids, refrigeration systems and other related products.