HBD Industries, an Ohio-based industrial rubber hose manufacturer, is once again facing scrutiny from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). The company's subsidiary, HBD/Thermoid Inc., which operates in Bellefontaine, has been cited by the DOL seven times since 2013.
In a recent news release by the DOL, it was reported that the latest incident involves a penalty of $389,534 following an accident on June 22. A 25-year-old worker at the plant suffered severe injuries including contusions and fractures due to non-compliance with safety protocols. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) investigators' report revealed that HBD/Thermoid Inc. had not adhered to lockout/tagout regulations. HBD Industries produces industrial products such as industrial hoses, conveyor belting and duct materials, operating facilities in Dublin as well as Chanute, Kansas and Oneida, Tennessee.
Todd Jensen, OSHA Area Director said in a statement: "This employee suffered preventable injuries because their employer continues to ignore its responsibility to protect their workers." He further added: "We cited the company for safety violations on the very same machine in March 2023, and they still failed to protect their employees. It’s time for HBD/Thermoid Inc. to make the safety of their employees a priority."
According to the DOL news release, during the accident power belts were still on and exposed causing the worker to be pulled into the machine. OSHA highlighted that they had previously cited HBD/Thermoid Inc. with two repeat violations, one willful violation, one serious and one other-than-serious violation concerning lockout/tagout procedures for their machinery - specifically overhead CAT-pullers.
The news release also noted that HBD/Thermoid Inc. had already been fined for not having machine guarding on this same equipment in March 2023. OSHA places a significant emphasis on eliminating amputation hazards within the operations of machines in manufacturing facilities. HBD/Thermoid Inc. now has 15 days to comply with the fine, contest the charges or request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director.
