Maintenance worker dies when machine starts up unexpectedly, tire manufacturer fined $272K
An OSHA investigation has discovered that Kumho Tire Georgia Inc. could have prevented the death of a 57-year-old maintenance worker. The incident occurred in April 2024 when a worker was fatally injured after the machine they were working on unexpectedly started. According to OSHA, the tire manufacturing facility has a history of safety and health violations. Since 2015, the facility has been inspected nine times, resulting in 52 violations. In its most recent investigation, OSHA found that Kumho Tire Georgia bypassed safety procedures meant to prevent machinery from accidentally starting during maintenance. Additionally, the company:
- Failed to properly train employees on how to safely perform servicing and maintenance activities
- Did not have sufficient machine guarding at its facility
- Exposed workers to fall hazards
The agency cited Kumho Tire Georgia for one repeat, 12 serious, and two other-than-serious violations. Because of these violations, the company faces $271,930 in penalties.
What people are saying
In a recent quote, OSHA Area Director Joshua Turner said, “Kumho Tire Georgia has repeatedly failed to protect its employees, and this time that negligence resulted in a preventable tragedy. Every year, thousands of these incidents occur, causing serious and sometimes fatal injuries. There is no excuse for endangering the lives of the employees who keep their operations running.”
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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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