A Cleveland bakeware manufacturer is facing $182,293 in proposed fines after federal investigators found safety violations related to two incidents that resulted in workers suffering amputations.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited G&S Metal Products Co. Inc. for one willful violation and five serious violations following incidents in June and July of this year. The agency said the company failed to implement basic safety measures, including installing proper machine guarding and establishing lockout/tagout procedures, which are designed to prevent machinery from operating unexpectedly during maintenance.
The first injury occurred on June 25, 2024, when a 37-year-old employee was servicing a power press. OSHA inspectors determined the machine cycled unexpectedly due to unsecured pullbacks, exposing the worker to hazardous moving parts and resulting in an amputation.
Just two weeks later, on July 11, 2024, a 64-year-old employee who had been with the company for four months also suffered an amputation injury. The worker was clearing scrap from another mechanical power press when the machine’s die closed without warning. Investigators found the equipment lacked adequate guarding and had not been locked out during maintenance.
“These two workers must live with permanent injuries because their employer failed to ensure that adequate guarding was in place,” said OSHA Area Director Howard Eberts in Cleveland. “G&S Metal Products Co. Inc. must take immediate action to evaluate and address machine safety across its operations. Employers have an obligation to adhere to basic safety standards to ensure every worker returns home safely.”
The incidents mark the second time OSHA has cited the company for safety violations leading to amputations. In 2017, G&S Metal Products was fined after a worker lost part of a limb while adjusting a mechanical power press.
Founded in 1949, G&S Metal Products manufactures commercial and consumer bakeware pans, kitchen gadgets, and accessories for global distribution.
The company has 15 business days to comply with the citations, request an informal conference with OSHA, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.