An ice company in Upstate New York could have to pay up to
$90,000 in fines after OSHA found evidence of 20 safety violations.
The inspection was initiated after two workers were
seriously injured on Nov. 29 when the elevator they were in failed, dropping 10
feet and trapping them inside, according to an article in theThe
Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, a local newspaper.
In a recent agency release, Arctic Glacier, based in near
Rochester, N.Y., was accused of having major deficiencies in its process safety
management program, notably allowing untrained workers to load a 7,000-pound
forklift into an elevator with a capacity of 4,000 pounds. OSHA said employees
were not properly safeguarded against hazards associated with the 10,000 pounds
of ammonia they must handle in the plant’s refrigeration system.
The company had no previous OSHA violations prior to
the November incident, according to the release.
OSHA Recommends Fines for Ice Company (5/21)