An employee at the Anchor Hocking Co. glass manufacturing factory in Lancaster, Ohio, recently suffered horrible painful burns after he was sprayed with oil mist at work and his clothing caught fire. The plant is owned by EveryWare Global Inc. Employees injured at work can pursue a workers' compensation claim and should consult with an experienced attorney at the earliest possible opportunity.
Following the accident, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) conducted an inspection of the workplace and found nine violations of safety standards, issuing citations and proposing fines of the employer that could total $74,600. The federal inspectors found that such violations had been the cause of injuries suffered by a number of employees at the facility.
The employer was found to have engaged in a careless, repeat violation that involved failing to use permanent wiring for a light in the workplace. They had instead used dangerous flexible cords. The exact same problem was found in the workplace last year, but nothing was done to correct it. Eight serious safety violations were also discovered during the inspection. The employer failed to illuminate an exit sign as required, did not furnish needed handrails and railings, neglected to cover holes in the floor, and didn't assess whether protective equipment was adequate to protect employees from becoming saturated with oil mist in the workplace. This made their work clothing extremely flammable.
All too often, employers ignore basic issues of workplace health and safety, neglecting needed precautions, all to save a few pennies on needed protective equipment or common sense precautions. An attorney specializing in workers compensation can help injured employees get the money they need and deserve for an employer's negligence.
Source: OSHA Regional News Release, "US Department of Labor's OSHA fines Anchor Hocking Co. $74,000 after worker suffers burns at Lancaster, Ohio, glass manufacturing plant" No author given, Jul. 23, 2013