Ohio floor mill cited by OSHA after multiple employee injuries
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An Ohio flooring mill was cited by OSHA following multiple inspections. Two of the inspections involved employee injuries, including one amputation. Inspectors with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration determined the mill’s lack of guarding, safety procedures and training exposed employees to machine hazards.
The agency responded to similar injuries in May and July 2022 at Appalachian Wood Floors Inc. that operates as Graf Custom Hardwood. The company informed OSHA of the injuries within 24 hours, as required.
OSHA cited the company for six repeated and 12 serious safety violations involving machine safety procedures, trip hazards for surfaces filled with debris and various electrical safety violations. The company faces additional proposed penalties of $333,693 and has been placed in OSHA’s Severe Violator Enforcement Program.
Two previous inspections cited five serious and one other-than-serious violations involving an unguarded chain and sprocket, lack of recordkeeping, unsafe electrical conditions and trip hazards from debris littering walking and working surfaces.
During an October 2022 inspection, OSHA noted employees required to clean, unjam and maintain equipment were not trained on lockout/tagout procedures nor provided hand tools to assist with unjamming machines, and that many machines lacked adequate guarding. OSHA also noted stairs lacked guard rails, unsafe electrical practices and workers unable to safely exit and enter their workspaces due to debris littering the floor.
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