Alejandro Anguiana’s work-related death could have been prevented. That’s how I see the findings of Indiana OSHA in the agency’s citations against his employer, Markman Peat.
The 41 year-old was working in March 2015 at the company’s operation in Kingsbury, IN. The initial press reports indicated that Anguiana was pulled into a piece of machinery when his sweatshirt got wrapped around the power takeoff shaft. I wrote about the incident shortly after it was reported by local press.
Inspectors with Indiana OSHA conducted an inspection at the workplace following the fatal incident. The agency recently issued citations to Markman Peat for four serious violations and proposed a $12,250 penalty. Among other violations, the company was cited for failing to have proper guarding on power transmission belts and shafts. IN-OSHA’s records posted on-line suggest (as of September 23, 2015) the company is contesting the citations.
When some local press initially reported Alejandro Anguiana’s death, they called it an accident. An “accident” suggests the circumstances were unforeseen or could not have been avoided. IN-OSHA’s findings tell a different story. Call it cutting corners, call it poor management, call it breaking the law. Whatever you want to call it, Anguiana’s work-related death could have been prevented, it was no accident.
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