Plainesville, OH (WorkersCompensation.com) - Grand Rock Co. Inc. has been cited by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration for one willful and one serious safety violation after a worker suffered the amputation of four fingers on June 12. The employee was operating an unguarded machine that bends tubes at the Painesville automotive parts manufacturer.

"It's unacceptable that Grand Rock Co. failed to provide adequate machine guarding in its facility and that a week after this tragic incident, the machine remained unguarded and in use, exposing other workers to similar injuries," said Howard Eberts, OSHA's area director in Cleveland. "Employers must take all precautions to protect workers from known hazards that exist in their facilities."

One willful violation was cited for failing to ensure points of operation were guarded on the tube bending machine, which is used to manufacture automotive exhaust systems. A willful violation is one committed with intentional, knowing or voluntary disregard for the law's requirement, or with plain indifference to employee safety and health.

Additionally, one serious violation was cited for failing to develop specific lockout/tagout procedures. A serious violation occurs 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.

OSHA has proposed penalties of $52,500.

Grand Rock Co. has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA's area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

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