An amputation injury at an ice cream manufacturing facility in Lakewood, New Jersey has earned an employer $103,476 in proposed penalties. The citations issued by OSHA against Mister Cookie Face LLC for machine safety hazards followed an incident in which a sanitation employee suffered a fingertip amputation and a fractured finger when the machine he was attempting to unjam, activated. OSHA cited the company for failing to lockout machines to prevent unintentional startup during servicing, not ensuring employees used personal protective equipment, not providing an eyewash station where employees used corrosive chemicals, and for exposing employees to bloodborne pathogens hazards.

“This injury could have been avoided with worker training and the use of lockout/tagout procedures,” said OSHA Marlton Area Office Director Paula Dixon-Roderick. “Employers who implement an effective safety and health program can ensure that workplace hazards are identified and corrected to prevent worker injuries or fatalities.”