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Diving overview:
- Ministry of Labor Found Dean Sausage Co., Atalla, Alabamaa meat processing and packaging facility that repeatedly ignored safety standards during inspections over the past three years and exposed employees to unsafe working conditions, the agency announced earlier this month.
- The latest report released Dec. 3 by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration includes a July 2024 inspection that revealed inadequate machinery safety procedures, a lack of employee training, and missing electrical panel covers. Contains violations.
- Although previous charges and fines exceeded $109,000, this year’s proposed additional fine was $103,245 due to the continued presence of similar dangers within the facility.
Dive Insight:
The small sausage company had three repeat violations in July, including poor enforcement and training of employees on lockout and tagout procedures or written hazards related to handling chemicals such as ammonia. Includes failure to provide a sexual communication program.
OSHA cited 2,538 lockouts and tagouts The number of procedural violations increased in 2023, making it the sixth most cited standard by authorities.
According to the agency, Dean Sausage is the subject of new charges for using electrical power and lighting equipment in an unsafe manner, attracting or trapping employees, exposing them to electric shocks, burns and hazardous chemicals.
In 2023, the agency found seven repeat violations and two major violations during inspections, ultimately issuing fines. $116,153 fine To the company.
As of 2023, Dean Sausage manufactures sausage and frozen biscuit sandwich products for the southern U.S. market, according to its website. The company employs 85 people at its Attalla facility.
Dean Sausage has 15 business days, starting Dec. 3, to respond and pay the OSHA fine. The company did not immediately respond to Manufacturing Dive’s request for comment.
The total for the food manufacturing sector is Number of injuries and illnesses: 61,400 in 2023The rate is 3.6 cases per 100 full-time employees, down from 4.6 cases in 2022, according to a report from the DOL Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Dean Sausage joins other manufacturers with recent repeat violations. In September, OSHA cites Texas Marine Copper The proposed penalty is $253,750 after two federal workplace safety investigations found unsafe working conditions at the Sealy, Texas, facility.
June, Wisconsin Pallet Manufacturer Konz Wood Products was fined $177,453 A 57-year-old worker was killed when he was struck by the truck of a timber stacker. OSHA cited the company for failing to implement lockout and tagout procedures and for failing to provide fall protection for employees working on dangerous machinery, according to an OSHA press release. He is said to have repeatedly committed the same violation.
