OSHA fines candy firm after workers fell into tank in 2022
Federal workplace safety officials have fined a Central Pennsylvania confectionary factory for its part in an incident last June involving two workers falling into a vat of chocolate.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has levied a nearly $15,000 fine on Mars Wrigley, and cited the company for failing to properly train or authorize the workers to work in the tanks at the Elizabethtown M&M/Mars factory.
OSHA found that Mars Wrigley had not ensured that the workers had the knowledge or training to work on a Dove chocolate batching tank.
“The employer did not ensure that the employee had the knowledge of the type and magnitude of the energy for the task,” the citation noted.
The workers who fell into the tank were employed by the Manheim-based I.K. Stolzfus Services, federal officials reported at the time of the incident. According to its website, I.K. Stolzfus Services specializes in “professional industrial cleaning, water tank repair, cleaning & painting, abrasive and sandblasting services.”
In a written statement to PennLive, a Mars Wrigley spokesperson said: “The safety of our associates and outside contractors are a top priority for our business. As always, we appreciate OSHA’s collaborative approach to working with us to conduct the after-action review.”
Emergency crews on June 8 carried out a rescue mission at the Elizabethtown factory after the two workers were unable to get out of the tank. The workers had fallen into a partially filled chocolate vat while completing maintenance work. Firefighters rescued the workers by drilling a hole in the bottom of the tank and pulling them out, officials from the Elizabethtown Fire Department reported at the time. The workers were taken to a hospital.
OSHA characterized the citation type as “serious.” The total penalty is cited at $14,502.
“The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees,” the OSHA citation reads.