Federal safety officials fined an Illinois-based company more than $185,000 after a worker suffered severe burns at the same northern Wisconsin plant where five people have been killed since 2008.
Packaging Corp. of America was cited for 30 alleged safety violations, including failing to provide proper safety equipment and improperly storing hazardous materials.
The citations stem from an accident in March at a paper mill in Tomahawk. A worker was severely burned while trying to light a steam boiler, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration said.
“Past explosions arising from similar hazards by this employer have led to tragic incidents,” OSHA spokesman Robert Bonack said. “In this case, failing to prevent the ignition of flammable vapors and provide workers with appropriate personal protective equipment is another preventable misstep that has led to serious injuries.”
The company has 15 days to pay the fine or contest the findings. A message left at the company’s headquarters in Lake Forest, Ill., was not immediately returned.
The accident occurred in the same plant where five workers have been killed in the past five years. Two people were fatally burned by ash last year, and three others died in an explosion in 2008.
Topics Illinois
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