Wood flooring manufacturer fined $270K for over 30 health and safety violations
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An OSHA investigation has determined that WD Flooring LLC exposed workers to multiple hazards at its Wisconsin mill. The agency claims that the hardwood flooring manufacturer continues to ignore federal safety and health regulations. The investigation, which was conducted as part of the National Emphasis Program for amputation hazards, uncovered failures in WD Flooring’s hearing conservation program, as well as a lack of employee training related to hazardous chemicals in the workplace. The company was cited for 28 serious, and six other-than-serious violations. These violations include a failure to implement lockout/tagout procedures, inadequate machine guarding, and failing to provide proper PPE. WD Flooring faces $269,662 in proposed penalties.
In a recent quote, OSHA Area Director Robert Bonack said, “Each year, hundreds of workers are injured in manufacturing facilities because their employer fails to implement machine safety procedures and train workers on safe operation. In the last five years, OSHA has opened more than 960 inspections for amputation hazards at Wisconsin employers. All employers must evaluate their worksites and implement safety and health programs that protect workers and ensure a culture of safety on the job.”
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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