Workplace injury

Tootsie Roll machine cuts off part of worker's finger

October 7, 2021

OSHA has recommended that Tootsie Roll Industries pay more than $136,000 in fines after a machine at its Chicago plant cut off part of an employee’s finger this year, according to The Associated Press.

Cookie factory injury leads to citations

February 17, 2020

OSHA has cited a New York cookie maker for exposing employees to falls and other hazards at the Ferndale, New York, facility. Nonni’s Foods LLC, manufacturer of premium cookies, faces $221,257 in penalties. OSHA opened an inspection on Aug. 22, 2019, after learning that an employee fell on Aug. 7, 2019, and was hospitalized.

Arc flash severely burns three workers at metal smelting company

December 11, 2019

OSHA cited ASARCO – a metal smelting company – for electrical hazards after an arc flash caused three workers to suffer severe burns at its facility in Hayden, Arizona. The company faces $278,456 in penalties for two willful violations and one serious violation.

Falling boxes endanger Dollar Tree employees

September 24, 2019

OSHA has cited Dollar Tree Stores at four Idaho locations for exposing employees to unsafe storage of merchandise, and blocked walkways and exit routes. The company faces $898,682 in proposed penalties. OSHA inspectors initially responded to a complaint alleging that a Dollar Tree store in Boise was exposing employees to unstable stacks and piles of boxes in the store’s stockroom.

An amputation, an investigation, and retaliation

How a Pa. company ended up with a million dollar bill for firing two employees

September 3, 2019

The termination of two employees who participated in an OSHA investigation into a workplace injury has resulted in a federal judge ordering their former employee to pay them $1,047,399 in lost wages and punitive damages. The case began with a workplace incident in which one of the employees' co-workers suffered the amputation of three fingers.

Iowa worker’s arm amputated by grinding machine; company cited

July 2, 2019

An Iowa tire recycling company has been cited by the state’s Occupational Safety and Health Association (Iowa OSHA) after one of its employees suffered a partial amputation of his arm while on the job. News sources say the incident at Liberty Tire Recycling in Des Moines occurred on May 9, while workers were performing maintenance on the conveyor system of a tire grinding machine.

Zookeeper injured by rhino; zoo cited by OSHA

June 26, 2019

OSHA has cited the Jacksonville Zoo in Florida for an incident earlier this year in which a zookeeper was seriously injured by a rhinoceros. News reports say Archie, a 50-year-old male Southern white rhinoceros, struck the zookeeper with his horn. She was treated for her injuries at a local hospital and released after several days.

Calif. worker falls while installing solar panels on roof

June 20, 2019

A California solar panel installation company has been fined $193,905 by the state’s workplace safety watchdog agency, after one of its employees was seriously injured in a fall. Cal/OSHA cited Anaheim-based Nexus Energy Systems, Inc. for failing to provide required fall protection for its workers.

4 safety lessons from a serious forklift accident

Kayla Matthews

May 10, 2019

An employee of a Philadelphia company had his leg amputated after it was run over – twice – by a forklift driven by a fellow employee. That July 2015 incident resulted in lawsuits against several companies and ultimately, in a $9 million settlement. Here are four things you can learn from that incident.

Temp worker loses fingers at manufacturing plant

April 26, 2019

Cal/OSHA has issued more than $300,000 in serious citations to two employers after a temporary worker lost two fingers cleaning machinery at a food manufacturing facility in Los Angeles. The worker was cleaning a dough rolling machine when his left hand was partially pulled into the moving rollers and two of his fingers were amputated.