A Wisconsin meat processor has been cited by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration for one repeat violation and 17 serious violations after two workers suffered serious hand injuries.
OSHA announced Monday that it proposed $277,472 in punitive damages against Abbotsford-based Abbyland Foods Inc. after a worker’s finger was partially amputated in December and another employee’s hand was crushed the following month.
The first injury was caused by a screw on a meat processing machine and the second injury involved a skid guard on a garbage compactor.
OSHA said the employer failed to follow lockout/tagout procedures and failed to provide adequate machinery guards to protect workers from serious injury.
Since 201
3, the company has been charged with 22 serious violations and fined more than $56,000 for similar failures to protect workers from various workplace hazards, according to OSHA.The company has 15 working days to contest the referrals.
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