Willful violations assessed by OSHA in grain elevator deaths, insurers named in announcement

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) proposed penalties totaling nearly US$1.4 million against two Illinois companies for violations of safety standards that led to the deaths of three workers last summer in grain elevators. Haasbach LLC received 24 violations, including 12 classified as willful, for failing to take steps to workers from engulfed 30 feet deep in corn. Alex Pacas, 19, and Wyatt Whitebread, 14, died at Haasbach's Mt. Carroll site on July 28.

Two other young workers escaped, but one of them suffered serious injuries. In addition to the OSHA proposed penalty of US$550,000, Haasbach was also fined US$68,125 from the Labor Department for child labor violations; it was illegal for under-age Wyatt Whitebread to be working inside the grain silo.

The other Illinois firm, Hillsdale Elevator received 22 citations, including 17 classified as willful, for safety violations at its facilities in Geneseo and Annawan. Mr Raymond Nowland, 49, was killed on August 27 at the Geneseo site when he was engulfed in corn. OSHA proposed a US$345,000 penalty for violations related to Mr Nowland's death, and another US$384,000 in fines for violations at the Annawan site. Read more...

This blog is written by Martin Little The Global Miller, published and supported by the GFMT Magazine from Perendale Publishers.