The federal government has cited the Tyson Foods plant in Hutchinson for safety violations after a worker’s hand was severed TysonLogo_Color-weblast summer.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration labeled the plant a severe violator, meaning future inspections will ensure the violations have been corrected. OSHA also recommended a $147,000 fine for four violations found during a recent inspection.
The worker’s hand was severed in June while he and three others were cleaning a conveyor belt and his arm was pulled into the equipment. Its the second major fine and violation brought against Tyson this year.
Earlier this year Tyson agreed to pay a $3,950,000 civil penalty to settle alleged violations of Clean-Air Act regulations covering the prevention of chemical accidents at its facilities including the plants in Hutchinson and South Hutchinson.
At the South Hutchinson facility, an employee died while working on the plant refrigeration system. 51-year-old Micheal Wiebe died October 31, 2006 when a pipe rupture releasing a toxic cloud of ammonia. The accident also injured a co-worker. Federal investigators found that the pipe fitting that split, while the two were trying to drain anhydrous ammonia from refrigeration equipment, was responsible for the death. OSHA noted that the men weren’t using protective gear required by federal regulations. Tyson was fined $40,000 dollars by OSHA for that incident.
In the latest incident, OSHA has found seven serious violations at the plant in the last decade and some of the latest violations were considered willful. Tyson officials say the company is reviewing the citations and will work with OSHA to resolve the concerns.