Heated milk scalded multiple workers at a Summit Milk Products LLC facility in Waterloo, NY, and now the company has to answer to OSHA following an investigation.
In a January 2017 inspection, OSHA investigators discovered employees of the company were not provided with PPE or training related to job hazards that would have protected them from suffering severe burns.
“Workplace injuries are preventable if employers provide appropriate safety equipment and required training,” said Christopher Adams, OSHA Syracuse area office director, in a statement. “Despite being cited three times in the past 14 months for similar hazards, this employer disregarded safety requirements and their employees were severely burned.”
The agency returned to Summit Milk Products in September 2017 after the dairy and cheese manufacturer failed to report how it corrected the numerous health and safety violations that were found in January. Not only were employees not protected from heated milk in excess of 150 degrees, Summit Milk did not record injuries in the OSHA 300 log.
As a result, the company now has to answer OSHA who proposed $143.954 in penalties for uncorrected and new hazards.
Summit Milk has 15 business days to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director,or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.