A Florida-based pet food manufacturer was issued $95,472 in fines by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) after investigators identified a number of safety hazards at the company’s Miami, FL facility.
The agency determined that the Higgins Group Corp., operating as Higgins Premium Pet Foods, exposed workers at the Miami site to crushed-by hazards from damaged or overloaded storage racks; did not have machine guarding on gears, sprockets, and chains; failed to develop and implement a hazardous energy control program; exposed employees to fall hazards from an uncovered hole in the floor; and neglected to ensure that workers wore protective gloves when working with corrosive cleaners.
“The violations identified put employees at risk for serious or fatal injuries,” OSHA Fort Lauderdale Area Director Condell Eastmond said in an agency press release announcing the citations. “Employers must assess their workplace for potential safety and health hazards, and are encouraged to contact the local OSHA office for assistance with establishing and improving safety and health programs.”
Higgins Premium Pet Foods has 15 business days after receiving the citations to comply, challenge the findings before an independent board, or request an informal conference with an OSHA area director.
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