Greeley’s JBS fined $46,000 in worker’s death

GREELEY – JBS USA faces $45,500 in fines following the death of a 54-year-old worker who was killed when his hair and arm were caught in an unguarded conveyor system at the company’s Greeley beef processing plant in June, the Occupational and Safety Health Administration said Thursday.

JBS USA, a subsidiary of Brazilian meatpacker JBS S.A., failed to protect workers from moving machine parts by properly guarding or de-energizing the equipment, an OSHA inspection found in June. The agency cited the meat packing plant for one repeated and one serious violation.

“When workers are exposed to unprotected moving equipment, they can become entangled quickly. Unfortunately, the consequences can be fatal,” said Herb Gibson, OSHA’s area director in Denver, in a statement. “If JBS USA had followed simple, well-known safety practices, this tragic incident could have been prevented.”

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Ralph Horner, of Wellington, suffocated June 10 after he accidentally became trapped in a conveyer, according to an autopsy report from the Weld County Coroner’s Office.

JBS head of sustainability Cameron Bruett said in an email statement that “The tragic loss of a team member is never acceptable.”

“We maintain high workplace safety standards for the company and our employees in an effort to prevent injuries and ensure a safe and healthful environment for all of our team members,” Bruett said. “We will review the citations and work with the federal government to resolve any concerns.”

OSHA’s Denver Area Office cited JBS USA for one repeated violation, carrying a $38,500 fine, for allegedly exposing workers to severe injuries, such as crushed fingers or hands, burns, amputations or blindness, from a lack of machine guarding.

A repeated violation occurs when an employer previously has been cited for the same or a similar violation of a standard, regulation, rule or order at any other facility in federal enforcement states within the last five years. The Greeley plant was cited for a similar violation that became a final OSHA order in 2010.

OSHA also cited JBS USA with a serious violation, carrying a $7,000 penalty, for failure to properly control energy sources on machinery during service and maintenance. A serious violation occurs when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.

JBS USA has 15 business days from when it receives the citations and proposed penalties to comply, request a conference with OSHA’s area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

In May, OSHA fined JBS $100,000 to settle safety and health violations at the company’s Greeley beef plant.

The settlement followed an inspection by OSHA in December 2012 that revealed potential for conditions that could lead to amputations and fall hazards in elevated work areas, among others. JBS said at the time it would work closely with federal officials to find remedies to ensure employees’ safety.

Greeley-based Pilgrim’s Pride, in which JBS USA owns a controlling interest, also faces fines for safety violations at its De Queen, Ark., plant. The company was accused in July 2013 of exposing workers to hazardous chemicals, among other allegations. Pilgrim’s Pride has disputed the allegations.

The company said at the time that it took the allegations seriously, but added that no employees were injured as a result of the alleged conditions.

Three other workers have died this year at facilities operated by JBS and Pilgrim’s Pride in North America, according to interviews with authorities conducted by BizWest and media reports.