Western Bee Supplies cited, fined for OSHA violations
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Western Bee Supplies in Polson and its staffing contractor, LC Staffing Service, for a range of violations, and assessed a collective $264,478 in proposed penalties, according to a press release issued Wednesday by the U.S. Department of Labor.
OSHA cited Western Bee Supplies for failing to install guards on various equipment, control hazardous energy, test workers for hearing damage due to noise overexposure, and report an accident that resulted in a partial finger amputation within 24 hours as required.
When OSHA inspectors arrived at at the business in Polson to investigate a recent incident that resulted in the partial finger amputation, they found a workplace with unguarded saw blades, rotating machinery, belts, pulleys and chains, according to the press release.
Machine operators were cleaning saw blades and other machinery without locking out and tagging out equipment to prevent sudden starts, as required, the release stated. A review of recent work logs by inspectors found the amputation wasn’t the only serious injury to occur on the machine involved, just the first one that had been reported to them, according to the release.
“One worker suffered a serious injury and another required hospitalization in an incident unreported previously at Western Bee. Both incidents were completely preventable, had the company simply installed proper safeguards,” OSHA Area Director Art Hazen said in a prepared statement. “Employers are required to provide workers with a safe and healthful place of employment.”
The agency cited LC Staffing for failing to train employees in lockout and tagout procedures, and fully power down a machine before maintenance and cleaning to prevent sudden starts and movement of machine parts. Staffing agencies have a duty to train and protect the temporary workers assigned to workplaces, the release stated.
After an informal conference, the employer, Western Bee Supplies signed an informal settlement agreement accepting all citations as issued with a minor penalty reduction. Alternative Staffing Corp., LC Staffing Service, also signed, accepted the issued citations, and settled at the informal level with the same minor penalty reduction, according to the release.
OSHA’s machine guarding page provides resources that address protecting workers from unguarded machinery, including “Safeguarding Equipment and Protecting Workers from Amputations.”
Western Bee has manufactured and supplied bee-keeping equipment for more than 53 years. The company employs approximately 49 employees. Since 1985, LC Staffing Service in Kalispell has provided temporary employees to businesses as one of Montana’s largest independently owned employment services providing staffing services to Western Bee Supply since 2006.
The companies have 15 business days from receipt of 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.
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to ensure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance.