Region 5 News Release: 10-1700-CHI
Dec. 8, 2010
Contact: Rhonda Burke Scott Allen
Phone: 312-353-6976 312-353-6976
E-mail: burke.rhonda@dol.gov allen.scott@dol.gov

US Labor Department's OSHA cites Illinois-based GSI Group LLC
after worker killed in industrial accident

NEWTON, Ill. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited GSI Group LLC, headquartered in Assumption, Ill., after a worker was killed at the company's Newton plant on June 7 while operating a laser cutting machine. The manufacturer of grain dryer equipment has been issued one willful and two serious safety violations for failing to have machine guarding in place.

"GSI could have avoided this tragedy had it been following the required OSHA safety standard," said OSHA Area Director Thomas Bielema in Peoria, Ill. "A worker should never lose his or her life because an employer fails to follow safety regulations. OSHA is committed to protecting employees in the workplace."

OSHA's inspection resulted in one willful violation for the company's failure to have guards in place on its automatic laser cutting machine. The worker who died was struck within the "point of operation" zone of the machine. A willful violation is one committed with intentional, knowing or voluntary disregard for the law's requirements, or plain indifference to employee safety and health.

GSI Group also received two serious violations for failing to use lockout/tagout procedures while performing various operations on the laser cutting machine and failing to effectively close an electrical box opening. An OSHA violation is serious if death or serious physical harm can result from a hazard an employer knew or should have known exists.

The Newton facility employs 215 workers. GSI Group LLC has manufacturing facilities in Assumption, Newton, Paris and Flora, Ill., as well as in six foreign countries. The company has been inspected, under various name changes, 17 times since 1976, and previously was cited for electrical hazards, machine guarding hazards and lockout/tagout violations. The OSHA inspection was the first of the Newton facility. The company faces fines of $78,500 for the current violations.

The company has 15 business days from receipt of its current citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA's area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

Employers and employees with questions regarding workplace safety and health standards can call OSHA's Fairview Heights, Ill., office at 618-632-8612. The agency's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742) is available to report workplace incidents, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to assure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.

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U.S. Department of Labor releases are accessible on the Internet at http://www.dol.gov. The information in this news release will be made available in alternate format (large print, Braille, audiotape or disc) from the COAST office upon request. Please specify which news release when placing your request at 202-693-7828 or TTY 202-693-7755. The Labor Department is committed to providing America's employers and employees with easy access to understandable information on how to comply with its laws and regulations. For more information, please visit http://www.dol.gov/compliance.