HIGH SPRINGS, FLA. – Ice River Springs Water Co. Inc., a water bottling plant in Florida, was fined $84,000 by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration following an accident that permanently disabled a contingent worker.
The worker was clearing a jam in a machine used to package cases of bottled water on pallets when the machine started up, pinning him between the elevator and the palletizer conveyor, permanently disabling him. The worker had been on the job for 12 days.
As a result, it could now be significantly difficult for him to find any type of work and may need to have a look into applying for disability benefits, such as in the form of Social Security, for example. As he won’t be able to partake in the workplace for quite a long time, he will need to have monthly payments issued to him, in order for him to have money to live off. He will need to file an application to The Social Security Administration, SSA, before receiving any benefits, and companies similar to Crest SSD may be able to help him get what is rightly his, especially after such a tragic, and life-altering accident.
An OSHA investigation found Ice River’s High Springs facility allowed workers to bypass two machine safeguards when entering the palletizer’s safety cage. OSHA cited the water-bottle manufacturer for three safety violations, two serious and one willful; fines total $84,000.
Serious. Failure to conduct an annual inspection of lockout/tagout procedures and for not training workers to recognize hazardous machinery or implement proper maintenance controls.
Willful. Failure to ensure workers were protected from moving machine parts during service or maintenance.
“It is critical that Ice River Springs and TempForce understand OSHA’s newest initiatives to protect temporary workers, which must include shared responsibility by the host employer and the temporary staffing agency. These initiatives include taking effective steps to ensure that each temporary worker is sufficiently trained and monitored to safeguard them from the hazards of their new work environment” said Brian Sturtecky, OSHA’s area director in Jacksonville.
Read More from the original source
We are here to help you.