Hose manufacturer fined $390K after worker suffers severe crushing injuries
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An OSHA investigation has determined that HBD/Thermoid Inc. could have prevented the severe injuries suffered by a young worker if the company had followed required safety measures. The industrial rubber hose manufacturer, which has a history of workplace safety issues, failed to follow lockout/tagout procedures at its facility in Ohio. The incident occurred when a 25-year-old worker suffered severe crushing injuries after being pulled into a machine while the powered belts were energized and unguarded. HBD/Thermoid was cited for two repeat violations, one willful violation, one serious and one other-than-serious violation. Because of these violations, the company faces $389,534 in proposed penalties.
In a recent quote, OSHA Area Director Todd Jensen said, “This employee suffered preventable injuries because their employer continues to ignore its responsibility to protect their workers. We cited the company for safety violations on the very same machine in March 2023, and they still failed to protect their employees. It’s time for HBD/Thermoid Inc. to make the safety of their employees a priority.”
About the Author
Alexis GajewskiAlexis Gajewski
Senior Content Strategist
Alexis Gajewski is a manufacturing writer and editor with nearly 20 years of experience covering the people, practices, and technologies that keep industrial facilities running. For more than a decade, she served as Senior Content Strategist for Plant Services, creating content for plant managers, engineers, and maintenance professionals on a variety of industrial topics.
During her tenure, Alexis worked to develop the brand’s digital strategy and helped launch and produce Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast. She also created The Lighter Side of Manufacturing, a weekly blog that explored the inventive and sometimes humorous side of the industry.
Alexis co-founded Influential Women in Manufacturing, a recognition program that honored 49 women in its first two years, earned an industry award for Best Product Launch, and received a proclamation from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and a commendation from U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth.
She also led newsroom operations and development at a large media company where she set editorial standards, developed training curriculum, and helped support AI adoption for more than 150 editors across 80+ brands spanning manufacturing, industrial processing, automation, and more.
Additionally, Alexis works as a freelance writer and editor, and her areas of interest include continuous improvement, the skilled workforce, and the role of emerging technology on the plant floor.
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