The Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) issued Metal Shredders 1 willful and 8 serious safety violations involving electrical safe work practices and has proposed penalties of $115,000 to the company.
OSHA also issued Cohen Brothers, Metal Shredders’ parent company 3 serious safety violations for failing to train employees in electrical safe work practices, with proposed penalties of $21,000.
Investigators found Metal Shredders failed to verify that electrical lines were absent of voltage after turning off the disconnect switch inside the transformer substation cabinet, resulting in a willful violation. The 10 year employee attempted to enter the substation by climbing over a concrete wall and fence on the side of the transformer substation and his foot touched the electrical line, which was still energized, and was electrocuted.
“This was a tragic death that could have been prevented by following basic safety practices for working with high voltage transmission lines,” said Ken Montgomery, OSHA area director in Cincinnati.
Published in the July 2015 Edition of American Recycler News