A Portsmouth-based hardwood flooring manufacturer, Appalachian Wood Floors Inc., operating as Graf Custom Hardwood, has been fined $255,528 by the U.S. Department of Labor. This comes after a 23-year-old worker suffered a partial arm amputation while troubleshooting a rip saw machine at the company's Charles Street facility.

The incident, reported in May 2024, prompted an investigation by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Inspectors discovered that the safety device on the saw had been bypassed, allowing the worker to become entangled in its rotating blades. Following this event, OSHA conducted an inspection at another company location on Campbell Avenue. Since 2022, five inspections at this site have revealed recurring safety violations.

The company received citations for eight repeat violations, two serious violations, and four other-than-serious violations. These findings led to Appalachian Wood Floors being included in OSHA’s Severe Violator Enforcement Program. The Charles Street facility had also faced citations for machine safety violations in 2022.

OSHA inspectors found deficiencies in employee training related to lockout/tagout procedures at both locations. The company did not enforce these procedures when workers were troubleshooting machines or performing maintenance tasks such as changing blades and cleaning rollers. Additional issues included unguarded chains and sprockets on equipment and multiple electrical safety violations.

Ken Montgomery, OSHA Area Director in Cincinnati, stated: “A preventable tragedy has left a young man with a permanent, life-altering injury. Bypassing machine safety procedures puts workers at extreme risk. Appalachian Wood Floors must make worker safety a priority by ensuring proper training, enforcing safety standards, and maintaining machine safety guards to prevent future incidents.”

Appalachian Wood Floors has 15 business days from receiving its citations and penalties to comply with them or request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director. Alternatively, they can contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.