An OSHA investigation has determined that the 3M Company could have prevented the death of a worker. The employee, who worked at the Prairie du Chien facility in southwestern Wisconsin, suffered fatal injuries after becoming caught in a machine’s rotating rollers earlier this year. The worker was attempting to set up a plastic extrusion line when the accident happened.
OSHA investigators determined that the 3M Company violated federal regulations for the control of hazardous energy during set-up, servicing and operation of the machine. The company faces $312,518 in fines for two willful safety violations. These violations include failing to implement energy control procedures and allowing workers to circumvent machine guarding.
In a recent quote, OSHA Regional Administrator Bill Donovan said, “The tragedy of another employee’s death in Wisconsin is compounded by the fact that the 3M Company completed a corporate-wide review and determined powered rollers were hazards in need of safety improvements. The company must address these hazards immediately to protect employees from serious injuries or worse.”