Doskocil Manufacturing Inc., an Arlington, Texas, pet products manufacturer and distributor operating as Petmate, is facing $278,851 in Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) penalties after an employee suffered severe facial burns, the agency announced June 17.
OSHA investigators learned that three employees were using a pry bar to break off excess plastic, called “drool,” as they cleaned a structural foam machine when an injection nozzle dislodged, spraying molten plastic into a worker’s face. The employee suffered second- and third-degree burns.
Agency investigators cited the company for failing to do the following:
- Isolate energy sources to protect workers from serious injuries.
- Develop safety procedures for safe cleaning and maintenance of machinery.
- Ensure walkways and working areas were free of slipping hazards to prevent slips and falls.
- Provide eye protection for workers using structural foam machines.
“When proper safety processes and procedures are ignored, industrial workplaces can be dangerous and unforgiving for employees,” Timothy Minor, OSHA’s Fort Worth, Texas, area office director, said in a statement. “Petmate’s failures to comply with federal safety regulations exposed its employees to serious dangers, resulting in one worker suffering severe injuries.”