Omnisource LLC: OSHA inspections and violations

Incident on Nov 30, 2006: Three employees suffer carbon monoxide poisoning

At approximately 2:00 p.m. on November 30, 2006, Employees #1, #2, and #3 were p erforming maintenance on grapple fingers at a scrap metal recycling facility and were using a forklift to hold and manipulate the heavy parts. The forklift was left running most of the time while the work was being performed. The overhead d oors to the shop were closed and it is unclear if mechanical ventilation was in use. One of the employees started to show symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning and was removed from the area. All three employees were then transported to a lo cal hospital where they were admitted and treated. One employee received hyperba ric oxygen treatment.

Incident on Mar 19, 1996 (fatal): Employee killed when crushed by guard in hammer mill

Employee #1 was the owner of a construction company engaged in contract work to replace some banana plates in an approximately three-month-old hammer mill. The crew had problems with the hoist and had to remove it to repair the base plate. This hoist was used to raise and lower the movable section of the guard; with th e hoist not working, the wire ropes had been disconnected and the guard rested o n the two welded stops on the rails. The crew also experienced trouble with movi ng the guard and keeping the wheels on the rails at the back end, so they attach ed hook rollers at the one end but none were placed at the front. According to t he manufacturer, Texas Shredder, this was the only mill that they have ever buil t with a guard, and they had no experience with moving it. Employee #1 was in th e mill when the guard came over the stops and crushed him to death. The guard co uld not have done this if the wire ropes had still been connected. Apparently th e mill was not locked out at the time of the accident.