How did a lathe operator become entangled in the operating spindle of the equipment while hand-polishing a long metal cylinder? Keep reading to find out what happened and why OSHA responded to this fatality with a significant fine.
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An investigation into the incident by federal inspectors found that a Cedarburg, Wisconsin tool and manufacturing company allowed the computer-controlled lathe to operate with its safety interlocks bypassed. The interlocks prevent workers from coming in contact with moving machine parts. The agency found the lathe’s door that provided guarding was open, exposing the victim to the machine’s rotating parts.
OSHA cited the company for one willful and one serious violation of machine safety standards and issued about $125,000 in proposed fines. Milwaukee area director Christine Zortman noted that OSHA too often finds employers are complacent with machine safety features and bypass them to speed up production. “This worker’s tragic death was preventable,” she concluded, adding that the employer “must re-evaluate its overall safety and health management system, including their machine safety programs and procedures to ensure they are effective.”
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