The state Department of Labor & Industries said Wednesday it has fined a Battle Ground plastic bottle manufacturer a total of $86,800 for major safety violations after a worker’s hand was caught in machinery and had to be amputated.
Andersen Plastics was cited for one willful violation — a penalty of $58,500 — and six serious violations. The company has appealed L&I’s decision to the Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals.
The company did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday.
In a news release, L&I said its investigation found several problems with the company’s “lockout/tagout safety program,” which refers to the deliberate process of shutting down machinery to prevent accidental startup.
Failure to prevent machinery from accidentally starting puts workers at risk of serious injuries, L&I said, “such as the amputation that occurred in April when a worker was performing a routine task.”
In an email to The Columbian, Elaine Fischer, a spokeswoman for L&I, said she doesn’t have any information about the injured worker. “All claim information is confidential,” she said.
In citing Andersen Plastics for the willful violation, L&I said that the “lack of use of an energy control procedure for employees that enter machines to make adjustments and clear jams would likely result in serious injuries such as broken bones, amputations and/or death,” according to a copy of L&I’s citation, obtained by The Columbian on Wednesday.
The citation shows Andersen Plastics corrected all seven violations alleged by L&I during the agency’s inspection. The company has three bottling sites, Fischer said. The L&I inspection occurred at 15 N. Grace St. in Battle Ground. Andersen Plastics is affiliated with Green Willow Trucking, according to L&I. Records show Green Willow has more than 100 employees. It’s unclear how many people work for Andersen Plastics.
Labor & Industries said it cited Andersen Plastics for a willful violation after its investigation found that workers were trained to use unsafe work practices, including bypassing safety guards and not ensuring the machinery was locked out so that it couldn’t start up accidentally.
“A willful violation can be issued when L&I has evidence of plain indifference, a substitution of judgment or an intentional disregard to a hazard or rule,” L&I said.
Additionally, L&I said, its investigation found the company did not have specific procedures or a safety program to prevent accidental startup. “The employees lacked training and did not understand the purpose or procedures for locking out equipment before making adjustments, performing maintenance or clearing a jam,” according to L&I.
The agency’s inspection also “found several other serious violations related to personal protective equipment and safe forklift operation,” L&I said. The agency said that fines paid as a result of a citation go into the workers’ compensation supplemental pension fund, which helps injured workers and families of those who have died on the job.
