The Occupational Safety and Health Administration recently cited a manufacturer in Georgia for safety violations in the October death of a worker in Decatur. The worker was killed when a steel coil weighing three tons fell on him. The company was cited for serious safety violations, meaning that work hazards that could cause serious injuries, illness or death went unaddressed.
The deceased worker was employed by a company that makes steel piping and tubing for manufacturers in the transportation, lighting equipment and agricultural industries. At the time of the accident, the man was reportedly a member of a work crew that was cutting coils to produce smaller pieces. The coil was hoisted on a specially designed cart. While the worker was preparing to bundle the narrower pieces together, the coil tipped off the cart and fell on him.
During the investigation, OSHA inspectors identified several other safety violations at the plant. These included the lack of guard rails at work areas that were seven feet off ground level, and unprotected chain and sprocket wheels on conveying equipment. The company also failed to control hazardous energy with lockout/tagout systems that could avoid caught-in and struck-by hazards.
Exposing workers to dangerous workplace environments that could lead to fatalities or serious injuries is unacceptable. While OSHA holds such business owners accountable, injured employees and the families who lost loved ones are entitled to pursue benefits claims through the Georgia workers’ compensation system. Injured workers typically receive compensation for medical expenses and lost income, and surviving family members receive financial assistance with end-of-life costs and daily living expenses for a designated period after their loss.
Source: decaturdaily.com, “Plant where Hartselle man died cited for ‘serious’ safety violations“, Ashley Remkus, Feb. 3, 2016