The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Olé Mexican Foods Inc. for two repeat, 14 serious and three other-than-serious violations at its Norcross, Georgia facility, resulting in a proposed fine of $151,030. According to the federal agency, it was during a June complaint inspection at the factory that investigators discovered the alleged workplace safety violations, which put workers at risk of amputation injuries and even death. If you have suffered serious injuries in a workplace accident in Georgia, or if you lost a loved one in a fatal on-the-job accident, contact our workers’ compensation attorneys at Rechtman & Spevak today. You may be entitled to financial compensation for your losses, and our legal team can help.
Repeat Violations Found at GA Facility
According to OSHA representatives, the fines for the two repeat violations amounted to $77,000, and included failure to ensure workers performing equipment servicing and maintenance understood the energy control program and procedures for caught-in and amputation hazards for equipment in the production area. “This employer received citations for the same hazards [in 2011] and did not correct them,” stated William Fulcher, director of OSHA’s Atlanta-East Area Office. “Additionally, amputation and caught-in hazards remained, posing a risk of serious injury or even death for workers. These hazards must be eliminated immediately from the workplace.”
Serious and Other-than-Serious Safety Hazards
The serious safety hazards found at the Georgia facility, which totaled $73,030 in penalties, involved a failure to instruct all workers on the purpose and scope of the energy control program; cover drainage troughs and guarded platforms to prevent trip and fall accidents; prevent exposure to amputation and caught-in hazards from protruding shaft ends and unguarded chain and sprockets; and ensure unobstructed exit routes. The other-than-serious violations amounted to $1,100 in fines, and involved a failure to establish a written exposure control plan for workers expected to perform first aid and not properly recording injuries in OSHA’s 300 log.
Contact Our Workers’ Comp Lawyers Today
Like all other employers in the United States, employers at the Olé Mexican Foods facility, which mixes and produces flour and corn dough to make tortillas, chips and tostadas for restaurant distribution, are responsible for providing a safe and healthful workplace for their employees. Unfortunately, when this responsibility isn’t met, workers are typically the ones who pay the price. If you have been injured in an on-the-job accident in Atlanta, Marietta, or elsewhere in Georgia, consult our knowledgeable lawyers at Rechtman & Spevak for legal help. Our law firm is located in Atlanta, and our attorneys have years of experience protecting the legal rights of injured workers throughout the state of Georgia.
Source: https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=NEWS_RELEASES&p_id=25245
