Worker dies while servicing a door molding machine, GE Appliances fined $194K
An OSHA investigation has determined that Haier US Appliance Solutions Inc. could have prevented the death of a 58-year-old front-line supervisor. The company, which manufactures GE-brand appliances, allegedly failed to follow required machine standards. The incident occurred in July 2024 while the worker was attempting to service a door molding machine. OSHA discovered that the company allowed workers to bypass the machine’s safety doors and did not use required procedures to prevent employee injuries in the carousel-like machine.
The company, which operates as GE Appliances, was cited for one willful violation and two serious violations. These violations include:
- Failing to follow lockout/tagout procedures
- Permitting employees to bypass interlocking safety doors to gain access to the machine
- Failing to maintain annual inspections for lockout/tagout procedures
As a result, the company faces $193,585 in proposed penalties.
What people are saying
In a recent quote, OSHA Area Office Director Joel Batiz said, “Haier US Appliance Solutions could have avoided this tragedy but put production schedules and profit ahead of employee safety. This company’s troubling history of safety failures in its manufacturing process has posed a significant risk to the more than 1,500 workers at its Decatur location who rely on a safe and healthy workplace.”
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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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