Case Farms could face a fine of $23,100 after being cited by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for alleged failure to report employee illnesses at its poultry plant in Winesburg, Ohio.
According to a press release from OSHA, the company has been cited for two repeat and one other-than-serious safety violations.
OSHA opened an investigation at the chicken processing facility in October 2015 to evaluate record-keeping and employee exposure to Campylobacter bacteria. The inspection was opened after OSHA received a referral from another government agency.
The agency cited the company for failing to:
- Complete an OSHA 301 form for each recordable injury or illness.
- Record an injury or illness within seven calendar days of occurrence.
- Provide requested records within four business hours.
The agency also issued a Hazard Alert Letter for failing to implement a program and train employees to minimize exposure to Campylobacter.
The latest allegations against Case Farms come after other citations issued to the company for alleged violations at its facility in Winesburg, as well as at a facility in Canton, Ohio.
In December 2015, the company was cited for alleged deficiencies in ammonia refrigeration systems at two of the company’s poultry processing facilities in Ohio. The agency also asserted that Case Farms failed to perform annual bloodborne pathogen refresher training, provide hepatitis B vaccine for workers exposed to bloodborne pathogens, or store gas cylinders properly.
OSHA cited Case Farms in September 2015 for exposing workers to amputation, fall, electrical and other serious hazards after two workers suffered amputations while they cleaned machines at the Canton facility.
Case Farms contested all of the allegations OSHA made against the company in 2015, which carried with them a total of more than $1.9 million in proposed fines.
