Plastics Company Faced With Employer Defense Challenge

Prevention is the key to maintaining a safe workplace and avoiding injuries to workers and employees. This is why there are rules that regulate the safety standards of every industry in California. However, sometimes an employer ends up not meeting these standards for one reason or another. This can result in serious legal problems that could require an employer defense strategy to deal with citations issued by work safety authorities.

This is what Fukuvi USA Inc. is now facing after a recent workplace accident that occurred in early October. Following the incident, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) investigated the accident at the plastic extrusion company. The investigators claim to have discovered ongoing safety violations at Fukuvi.

The incident happened when a 31-year-old worker was working with a particular machine. The man was feeding a plastic part in the machine. Unfortunately, the worker somehow ended up having his arm caught in the machine, and this resulted in serious injuries. It turns out the work safety investigators discovered that the particular machinery had been lacking the proper safety guards mandated by law for several years.

The employer was cited by OSHA for safety violations and was ordered to pay penalties totaling $49,000. On the other hand, the company does have some options available for employer defense. Companies in California and elsewhere that receive citations from OSHA may be able to successfully appeal the citations through the proper legal avenues available. This can help save an employer from significant financial hardships caused by unexpected fines and penalties.