Two employees of a Cleveland bakeware manufacturer suffered injuries that resulted in amputations, and the Department of Labor says both incidents could have been avoided with proper safety measures.
OSHA found that G&S Metal Products Co. did not equip its machinery with adequate guarding or enforce critical safety protocols, including establishing proper lockout/tagout procedures, and failed to provide effective employee training in machine safety.
“These two workers must live with permanent injuries because their employer failed to ensure that adequate guarding was in place,” OSHA Area Director Howard Eberts said. “G&S Metal Products Co. Inc. must take immediate action to evaluate and address machine safety across its operations. Employers have an obligation to adhere to basic safety standards to ensure every worker returns home safely.”
The first incident occurred on June 25, when a 37-year-old employee sustained an amputation injury while operating a power press. The press cycled unexpectedly as the worker was servicing the machine, exposing the operator to hazardous moving parts. Inspectors determined the press’s pullbacks were not properly secured, contributing to the injury.
Two weeks later, on July 11, a 64-year-old worker – on the job just four months – suffered an amputation while clearing scrap from a mechanical power press. The die on the machine closed without warning, leading to the injury. Investigators found that the machine lacked adequate guarding and was not locked out to prevent operation during maintenance.
OSHA cited G&S Metal Products Company Inc. for one willful violation and five serious violations, assessing $182,293 in proposed penalties.
In 2017, the company was cited after another worker suffered amputation injuries while adjusting a mechanical power press.
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Chris Graham
