Fatal Injury Brings $195k in OSHA Fines Against Manufacturer

Thursday, February 22, 2018 | 0

Federal inspectors are proposing penalties of $195,144 against an Alabama plastics manufacturer for safety violations they say they discovered after the death of an employee who was pulled into a plastics recycling machine.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited ABC Polymer Industries LLC in Helena for one willful violation: failing to provide a machine guard to protect employees from caught-in amputation hazards.

OSHA also issued citations for repeat, serious and other-than-serious violations, including failing to evaluate all powered industrial trucks every three years, not having specific safety procedures to shut down or isolate stored energy, and failing to install a rail system on both sides of an open platform.

According to a report in the Helena Reporter, 45-year-old Catalina Estillado, also known as Eva Saenz, was killed in August 2017 when she was pulled into the recycling machine. Her husband, Crescensio Pablo, has filed a lawsuit against the company claiming that because of ABC Polymer's "willful conduct," it is not protected by workers' compensation exclusive remedy, according to a report in AL.com.

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