A Portsmouth, Ohio, hardwood flooring manufacturer faces $255,528 in fines after a 23-year-old worker suffered a partial arm amputation while troubleshooting a rip saw machine at the company’s Charles Street facility in May 2024.
An investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) found that Appalachian Wood Floors Inc., operating as Graf Custom Hardwoods, had bypassed a safety device on the saw, allowing the worker to become entangled in the machine’s rotating blades. The facility processes raw wood into finished flooring.
Following the incident, OSHA conducted a parallel inspection at the company’s Campbell Avenue facility, which has a history of safety violations. Since 2022, five inspections at that location have identified recurring issues, leading to the company’s inclusion in OSHA’s Severe Violator Enforcement Program.
OSHA cited the company for eight repeat, two serious, and four other-than-serious violations at the two facilities. The violations included a failure to train employees on lockout/tagout procedures and to enforce their use during tasks such as troubleshooting machines and changing blades. Inspectors also noted unguarded in-going nip points, electrical safety hazards, and inadequate forklift training.
“A preventable tragedy has left a young man with a permanent, life-altering injury,” said OSHA Area Director Ken Montgomery in Cincinnati. “Bypassing machine safety procedures puts workers at extreme risk. Appalachian Wood Floors must make worker safety a priority by ensuring proper training, enforcing safety standards, and maintaining machine safety guards to prevent future incidents.”
This is not the first time the Charles Street facility has been cited for safety lapses; similar violations were identified in 2022. The company now has 15 business days to comply with OSHA’s citations, request an informal conference, or contest the findings before the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
The case highlights the importance of strict adherence to machine safety protocols, including lockout/tagout procedures, which are essential to preventing workplace injuries and fatalities.