OSHA Cites TX Company $257k for Failing to Prevent Worker Injuries

Devastating hand and arm injuries could have been prevented if a furniture manufacturer in Temple, Texas, had the required machine guards in place. That’s the conclusion federal safety authorities recently came to as they issued a hefty fine to the company, Artco-Bell Corp.

The fine totaled $257,183, covering 24 serious violations of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations. Unpacking more about this workplace accident and why it resulted in a substantial OSHA penalty, here’s a closer look at:

• How a Tragic Workplace Accident Sparked an OSHA Investigation
• When Are Machine Guards Required?
• 5 Risks of Unguarded Machinery
• 5 Accidents &  Injuries from Missing Machine Guards

To see other instances of OSHA penalties for companies that put workers’ lives at risk, check out the:

• $248k OSHA fine for an East Texas pallet company
• $338k OSHA fine for a Houston power coating company
• $810.7k OSHA fine for a Houston tank cleaning contractor

How a Tragic Workplace Accident Sparked an OSHA Investigation

In April 2024, an employee of Artco-Bell Corp. was reportedly using a hose to clean machine rollers at the Temple-based manufacturing facility. The machine that he was hosing down was operating at the time, but the machine rollers were not equipped with guards.

According to OSHA investigators, that resulted in:

• The machine rollers catching the hose
• The hose quickly being pulled into the machine
• The worker’s hand and arm getting sucked into the machine rollers too.

With that, the worker sustained catastrophic injuries to his hand and arm, leaving him with debilitating and painful trauma.

This incident led to an OSHA investigation that got underway in May 2024, with federal regulators visiting the Temple manufacturer to inspect its facilities for safety violations. The inspection resulted in 24 serious violations, including (but not limited to):

• Failures to use the required machine guards
• Exposures to crystalline silica hazards
• Failures to properly label and identify hazardous chemicals
• Insufficient space for the safe operation and maintenance of electrical equipment
• Failures to provide proper safety equipment, like flameproof screens or shields, to welders and others

On October 10, 2024, regulators issued their OSHA citation to Artco-Bell Corp., itemizing the total penalty of $257,183 while explaining the option and time limits for contesting this fine.

Commenting on the accident, the ensuing federal investigation, and authorities’ findings, OSHA Area Director Monica Camacho in Austin, Texas, explained:

An employee suffered painful injuries because Artco-Bell Corp. failed to comply with federal requirements for machine guards… Employers are responsible for ensuring their workers are trained to recognize and address workplace hazards, and that safety information is communicated in languages their employees understand.

When Are Machine Guards Required?

OSHA standards establish when machine guards are required, mandating them on any machinery with potentially hazardous moving parts.

Specifically, that could include (and may not be limited to) machines with:

• Rotating or reciprocating parts
• Cutting or shearing mechanisms
• Pinch points where parts come together
• Operational points of “work,” like where shaping or folding occurs

Ultimately, it’s up to employers to:

1. Know, comply with, and stay up to date on OSHA standards and regulations that apply to them.
2. Make sure their machinery is properly and fully equipped with the required machine guards.
3. Maintain their machine guards, as necessary, so they function properly and reliably.
4. Train their employees on how to use machine guards and any machinery they are required to operate.

All too often, employers fail to fulfill these obligations, ignoring regulations, cutting corners, and putting workers at risk of serious, if not life-threatening, harm.

5 Risks of Unguarded Machinery

Machinery without guards can expose employees to avoidable risks and deadly dangers that could cause tragic workplace accidents in the blink of an eye.

Some of those risks and dangers include:

1. Entanglement: Loose clothing, hair, or jewelry can get entangled in rotating parts. So can the tools and equipment that workers are holding. If those rotating parts move fast, it won’t take long for an entanglement to cause severe injuries.
2. Contact Injuries: Without guards, machinery’s sharp, quick-moving, and alternating parts can easily make contact with workers, instantly causing debilitating injuries.
3. Pinching or Crushing: Machines with pinch points and no guards can entrap limbs, fingers, and other body parts, inflicting horrific injuries.
4. Ejection of Parts: Machinery without guards may eject materials at high speeds, like bolts or other small parts. If that happens, workers could get hit with shrapnel-like items.
5. Fatal Injuries: In the worst cases, accidents caused by unguarded machinery are deadly, causing multiple serious injuries so quickly that bystanders or emergency responders cannot save victims.

According to OSHA’s findings, unguarded machinery “is prevalent in many workplaces,” causing roughly:

• 18,000 serious injuries each year
• 800 fatal injuries annually

5 Accidents & Injuries from Missing Machine Guards

Unguarded machinery can cause severe accidents and injuries in several industries and workplace settings. When that happens, it typically involves workers suffering:

1. Lacerations: Contact with unguarded sharp parts can result in deep cuts and/or punctures.
2. Amputations: Unguarded machinery with cutting parts can cause deep lacerations, possibly slicing through bone, while crushing parts may shred limbs. Either of those injuries could cause or require amputation.
3. Fractures: Crushing or pinching parts without guards can shatter bones, especially the more delicate bones in the hands, fingers, and feet.
4. Disfigurement: Unguarded machines can crush, cut, and tear flesh, resulting in excruciating trauma that can leave workers permanently disfigured.
5. Death: Machinery without guards can entrap workers, critically injuring one or more vital organs in seconds. Sometimes, workers are fully engulfed by unguarded machinery, causing fatal trauma.

When workers are injured by unguarded machinery or any other workplace hazard, getting emergency medical help immediately should always be the top priority.

For the injured and their families, the road to recovery can be a long path that may come with unpredictable hurdles and new challenges. If you’re on that path, knowing your rights and how to seek justice can help you seek a meaningful recovery.