The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Monahan Filaments of Arcola, Illinois, for violations of OSHA's machine safety standards after an employee suffered severe injuries. The manufacturer of synthetic filaments for brushes and brooms faces $258, 271 in penalties. OSHA also placed the company in the agency's Severe Violator Enforcement Program.
OSHA received an employer-reported referral from Monahan Filaments after moving machine parts caused fractures and third-degree burns to an employee's hand on Sept. 20, 2019, during production-line setup.
Following the inspection, OSHA cited the company for two willful violations for failure to control hazardous energy sources and inadequate machine guarding on rotating parts and ingoing nip points. OSHA also cited the company for a repeat violation for not training employees to perform energy-control procedures during setup operations.
"Injuries from machine hazards are preventable when machine guarding and lockout/tagout standards are followed," said Loren Sweatt, principal deputy assistant secretary of labor for Occupational Safety and Health. "OSHA has resources available to help employers and workers understand requirements for properly safeguarding equipment."
The company has 15 business days from receipt of the citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA's area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
For more information, visit www.osha.gov.
