August 15, 2017
Two years ago, OSHA issued 24 violations with $822,000 in fines to a small employer after an employee lost three fingers in a machine. On appeal, a judge has significantly reduced the penalty. Following the Occupational Safety and Health Commission (OSHRC) ruling, Lloyd Industries of Montgomeryville, PA, now owes $209,500 in OSHA fines.
In 2014, a die dropped on a worker’s hand, resulting in amputation of three fingers. OSHA issued 13 willful, 4 serious and 7 other-than-serious violations. Six willful violations were for missing guards on six machines. Three more willful violations were per instance fines for failure to obtain baseline hearing tests for employees.
The reduction in its fine resulted from a combination of vacating some OSHA violations and reducing the categorization of others from willful to serious.Among the violations thrown out by the OSHRC decision was a General Duty Clause citation for failing to guard a foot pedal on a mechanical press brake.