Worker’s arm is pulled into unguarded machine, causing permanent injuries. Furniture manufacturer fined $275K.
An OSHA investigation has found that Artco-Bell Corp. could have prevented the serious injuries sustained by one of its employees. The incident happened in April 2024 when the worker was using a hose to clean machine rollers at the furniture manufacturing facility. Unfortunately, the hose became caught in the rollers, which pulled the worker’s arm into the machine. As a result, the worker suffered serious and permanent hand and arm injuries. All of this could have been avoided if the manufacturer had installed the required machine guards.
When OSHA inspected the Artco-Bell plant, they noticed a number of violations, including exposing workers to respirable crystalline silica hazards. The company was ultimately cited for 24 serious safety and health violations and will have to pay $257,183 in proposed penalties.
What people are saying
In a recent quote, OSHA Area Director Monica Camacho said, “An employee suffered painful injuries because Artco-Bell Corp. failed to comply with federal requirements for machine guards. Employers are responsible for ensuring their workers are trained to recognize and address workplace hazards, and that safety information is communicated in languages their employees understand.”
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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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