A Smithfield, R.I., company could have reportedly prevented a worker from suffering fatal head injuries during cement truck repairs Oct. 21, 2021, an Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigation found.
OSHA proposed $43,506 in penalties and cited Greenville Ready Mix Concrete Products Inc. for six serious safety and health violations, the U.S. Department of Labor reported March 16.
“This tragedy highlights the dangers of not ensuring lockout/tagout procedures are implemented before workers begin servicing machinery,” Robert Sestito, OSHA area director in Providence, R.I., said.
The drum on the cement truck reportedly began to turn as the worker installed a fabricated plate onto the chute into the drum, OSHA determined. The worker’s head was struck by mixing fins inside the drum and caused fatal injuries.
The company reportedly failed to establish a lockout/tagout program to prevent the truck’s drum from operating while under service or maintenance. Workers were not trained in such procedures and the company failed to conduct periodic inspections to make sure procedures were followed, according to the news release.
Sestito said complying with OSHA standards is not optional. Employers have an obligation to abate all hazards to protect the safety and health of their workers.
Greenville Ready Mix Concrete Products Inc. has been in business since 1991, and it has specialized in ready-mix concrete, sand and gravel, colored concrete products and masonry supplies.
The 1970 Occupational Safety and Health Act says employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to ensure these conditions by setting and enforcing standards and providing training, education and assistance.
