A Florence, Wisconsin, wood materials company is facing a $1.4 million fine from the Department of Labor following the June death of a 16-year-old worker who became trapped in sawmill equipment.
The DOL’s Wage and Hour Division, which oversees worker safety for minors, said Tuesday that an investigation by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration determined that Florence Hardwoods LLC failed to train all its workers in safety procedures to prevent dangerous equipment from moving during service and maintenance tasks.
Under federal law minors are not allowed to operate certain types of machinery, including at sawmills. The day after the teen’s death, the mill’s operator terminated all of the minors’ jobs, according to a DOL statement. The company has paid $190,696 in civil penalties to resolve its child labor violations.
Investigators also found fall, machine guarding and electrical hazard violations at the Florence sawmill, similar to what was included in a 2020 OSHA citation issued to the company.
Florence Hardwoods, which has been placed in OSHA’s Severe Violator Enforcement Program, has 15 business days from the receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.