Worker dies from woodchipper-related injuries, sawmill fined $267K
An OSHA investigation has determined that Thompson Hardwoods Inc. could have prevented the death of a 24-year-old employee. The worker was trying to clear a log jam in a woodchipper when the equipment activated, causing serious injuries. The employee was rushed to a nearby hospital where they eventually succumbed to their injuries.
The Georgia sawmill was cited for one willful violation for not following hazardous energy control procedures and one repeat violation for failing to apply lockout/tagout devices to isolate all energy sources. Two serious violations and one other-than-serious violation were given to the company for not properly training employees on lockout/tagout procedures and not enclosing the chain and sprocket on the shape chipper’s outfeed. Because of these violations, Thompson Hardwoods faces $267,327 in penalties.
What people are saying
In a recent quote, OSHA Acting Area Director Audrey Windham said, “We learned that Thompson Hardwoods added new equipment to increase production but did not mitigate potential hazards before allowing workers to service and maintain the new equipment. Workers handling any machinery may be seriously or fatally injured when all sources of energy are not removed. Sadly, the company’s failures leave a family and a community to grieve a terrible, preventable loss.”
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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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