A manufacturer of industrial and pharmaceutical food coatings is facing $192,000 in proposed fines after an employee lost his hand when he contacted an unguarded rotating valve on a dust collection hopper. The plant was issued a repeat citation alleging a lack of machine guarding because a similar violation occurred in 2005. OSHA also issued a willful violation alleging failure to develop and implement required machine shutdown and lockout procedures. Twenty-five serious citations allege a variety of violations including locked, unmarked and obstructed emergency doors and routes, trip and fall hazards and confined space hazards.

[Mantrose-Haeuser Co. Inc., Attleboro, MA. Release number 08-34-BOS/BOS 2008-027, Jan. 24, 2008]