Manufacturer Fined $225K After Worker Killed by Machinery

Thursday, September 27, 2018 | 0

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration is proposing $225,046 in penalties against a Colorado manufacturer for machine safety hazards after an employee was killed while working on a forging machine. 

OSHA issued citations to Vforge Inc. in Lakewood for two willful and two serious safety violations for failing to develop lockout/tagout procedures, provide adequate machine guarding and train employees in a language they understand. OSHA also placed Vforge in the Severe Violator Enforcement Program.

The citations say that an employee who had almost no ability to communicate in English was killed while servicing a press at Vforge’s factory on March 23. He had not been trained on proper safety procedures.

"Employers are legally required to implement appropriate procedures and provide training to protect their employees' safety," stated OSHA Englewood Area Office Director David Nelson. "This tragedy could have been prevented if safety measures were in place to prevent machinery from starting while being serviced."

Vforge has 15 days from receipt of the citations and penalties to request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.