Company Fined $80,000 after Worker Is Injured in Explosion

A worker at a company that makes aluminum automotive parts usually worked at the machining portion of the facility but was asked to work at the foundry. He was assigned to determine whether two propane-fueled torch wands were lit. He was wearing safety glasses and gloves but not a face shield. While checking the wands, there was an explosion, which knocked him back and caused him to fall six feet to the concrete ground below. He sustained fractures requiring surgery and burns. The worker hadn’t performed the task before or received any training on it. And there was no written or other procedure on the task. The company pleaded guilty to failing to provide information, instruction and supervision to a worker on the measures and procedures to follow when performing this task and was fined $80,000 [Precision Technologies, Govt. News Release, Feb. 29, 2016].