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OSHA reaches settlement with company, includes $200,000 fine

Any workplace can contain hidden hazards regardless of the type of business. In spite of the diligence that workers may practice, a lack of clear safety plans can result in injuries for employees for which OSHA may levy fines and issue citations. While every Missouri workplace must comply with set regulations, there is still the possibility that an accident can occur without warning.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration recently announced that it had reached a settlement agreement with an automobile auction house where a fatal accident had occurred last May. The federal agency conducted a thorough review of the tragedy. Afterwards, it cited the business for several safety violations and levied fines that totaled approximately $267,000. The company contested the fines, and an agreement was reached that will require it to pay $200,000 and correct the issues that lead up to the fatal incident.

Last May, an SUV somehow managed to strike a total of five people, all of whom died. When OSHA conducted its inspection, it discovered 16 safety violations that may have lead up to the accident. The Massachusetts Auto Auction must now implement the recommended safety corrections and conduct regular reviews of its employee’s driving skills. The company must also install safety barriers and clearly marked areas that are designated for foot traffic only.

An employee temp agency was also implicated in this incident, and OSHA subsequently issued fines for more than $12,000. The temp agency was found to have exposed its employees to hazardous conditions, and it must also implement new safety precautions. Whenever Missouri workers are injured on the job through no fault of their own, they may seek to file a claim for workers’ compensation benefits. In order to obtain all of the benefits to which they are entitled, injured workers may benefit from consulting with an experienced attorney who can guide them through the process.

Source: bodyshopbusiness.com, “Massachusetts Auto Auction Agrees to Pay $200,000 in OSHA Fines for Violations Found After Fatal Accident”, April 18, 2018