The United States Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited an Ohio tool company, ArtiFlex Manufacturing, for exposing workers at their Wooster location to amputation hazards after an employee suffered a partial finger amputation.

They received a repeat violation for failing to use proper machine guarding methods on the in-going nip point of conveyer belts. Employees removed parts from the conveyers prior to placing them in the presses at the final exit off the line and were exposed to hazards. They received another repeat violation for failing to use “point of operation guards” on operations performed on a mechanical power press. They received a repeat violation for failing to employ two-hand controls on mechanical power press so that they could not be moved by operators, only a supervisor or safety engineer should relocate the controls. They also received an other-than-serious violation for failing to guard live electrical equipment against accidental contact.

The company was cited for similar violations in 2016 at the same location, and OSHA placed them in their Severe Violator Enforcement Program which will subject them to subsequent inspections. They face proposed penalties of $213,411 for these latest violations.

“This employer’s repeated failure to adequately guard machine operating parts put workers at risk for serious injuries,” said OSHA Area Office Director Howard Eberts in Cleveland. “Employers are required to install and maintain machine guards to protect workers from amputation hazards.”

Read the press release from OSHA here and view the list of citations here.