OSHA cited Cocoa Services LP with five serious citations for workplace safety after the death a worker who fell into a tank converting hard chocolate to liquid chocolate. After the investigation was completed, OSHA cited the company for a lack of railing on floor openings, employees working on platforms that were exposed to dangerous falls, and for the employer failing to post warning signs on the melting tanks to indicate confined space.
In the end of the investigation the fine to the employer totaled $17,450.
The question that should be raised is ‘What is the price of human life?’ The answer to that question is that there is no price for the loss of a person’s life. The citations OSHA issued to this particular employer were ’serious citations’ which OSHA issues when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result and the employer new, or should have known or the hazard. So did the company actuality know that their work environment was unsafe? The type of work environment that was described would set off red flags to most people. Unfortunately there are many work environments throughout the US that have these type of unsafe environments and hopefully with the work of OSHA we can help keep everyone safe on the job.
