Worker's Foot Falls Into Tank of Hot Acid, Yielding $256,000 Fine for Employer

In early March, an Ohio machine operator climbed onto a tank of hot acid to clear a machinery jam. He wasn't wearing protective equipment of any kind. When he slipped, his left foot landed in the 170-degree tank, and he suffered third-degree chemical burns. Two weeks later, federal safety inspectors found employees climbing onto the same tanks. Calling this "unconscionable," the occupational health agency issued A-Brite Plating a $256,000 fine. A-Brite's Cleveland car parts plating factory did not have the necessary precautions in place to prevent other employees from injur...