OSHA fines washer, dryer manufacturer

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Maytag Searcy Laundry Products in Searcy, Ark., and proposed penalties totaling $67,500 for failing to protect workers from improperly maintained and guarded machinery.

OSHA cited the company for one willful and one serious violation following an investigation that began March 2 when the agency received a complaint that a worker's hand had been amputated by a machine.

"The press brake, a metal forming machine, double-cycled when it should not have, just when the worker's hand was in the point of operation," said Paul J. Hansen, Little Rock area director. "By not following OSHA standards, the employer exposed workers to unnecessary hazards."

The employer received a willful citation for failing to ensure that the press brake was equipped with anti-repeat features, conduct and maintain press brake inspection records, and properly train employees on press brake operation. OSHA issues a willful citation when intentional violation of the Occupational Safety and Health Act or plain indifference to its requirements is evident.

The serious citation was for failing to guard the press brake properly. A serious citation is issued when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.

Maytag, a manufacturer of washers and dryers, employs about 600 workers in Searcy. With headquarters in Newton, Iowa, the manufacturer employs about 12,000 workers company-wide.