CANTONMENT, FL — A Georgia-based concrete pipe manufacturer could have prevented a 19-year-old worker from suffering fatal injuries after a concrete mixer restarted in Cantonment in March 2023 as the teenager tried to clean the inside of the machine.
An investigation by the US Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration discovered that two Foley Products Company LLC employees first climbed into the mixer to use a hammer and chisel to chip away the hardened concrete. When one of the workers exited the mixer, the machine restarted while the other was inside.
OSHA inspectors accused the company of intentionally exposing its workers to the risk of crush injuries by allowing them to enter the mixer without first ensuring that they followed energy control procedures. The agency also found the company They exposed workers to the dangers of the confined space by failing to ensure a safe atmosphere existed inside the mixer before workers entered and by failing to have an attendant available to safely extract workers. OSHA also found that the company failed to ensure that workers were trained and understood how to safely attach and remove energy controls before servicing machines.
Foley Products Company received one willful violation and six serious violations. The company faces penalties of $245,546.
“Foley Products Company’s failure to follow through Known protective measures cost the life of a worker just reaching adulthood” said OSHA Area Office Manager Jose A. Gonzalez in Mobile, Alabama. “This preventable tragedy should remind us of the importance of adhering to legally mandated safety and health standards.”
The precast concrete manufacturer, headquartered in Newnan, Georgia, had 30 workers at the Florida site at the time of the incident. The company employs around 500 people and supplies numerous authorities and municipalities in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.
The company has 15 working days after receipt of the Quotes and penalties for compliance, Request an informal conference with OSHA – like Foley Products Company did – or to challenge the findings before the Independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
Visit OSHA’s website for information about developing an occupational safety and health program. Employers can also contact the agency Find information about OSHA’s compliance support resources and free help on complying with OSHA standards.
