OSHA levies $1.4M fine in death of teen worker at lumber mill [View all]
The operators of a lumber processing business in Northeast Wisconsin where a 16-year-old died in an industrial accident in June say they will undertake remedies ordered by federal regulators but deny some of the allegations that resulted in a $1.4 million fine.
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced this week that Florence Hardwoods is being fined for eight willful violations, six repeat violations, 29 serious violations and four lesser violations after an investigation by the agency. The company is located in Florence County.
The OSHA investigation came after 16-year-old Michael Schuls was fatally injured when he was pinned in a wood-stacking machine while trying to unjam it in the Florence Hardwoods planing building on June 29, 2023. Schuls was asphyxiated, Florence County Coroner Jeff Rickaby told the Associated Press in July. The 16-year-old died two days later.
“There is no excuse for allowing underage workers to operate this type of machinery,” said Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su in a statement OSHA released Dec. 19. “Federal child labor and safety regulations exist to prevent employers from putting children at risk. They also exist to hold employers like Florence Hardwoods accountable for endangering these young workers.”
Read more: https://wisconsinexaminer.com/2023/12/22/osha-levies-1-4m-fine-in-death-of-teen-worker-at-lumber-mill/
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