According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration had inspected Greensboro’s facility following the September injury. The agency published its findings via a news release Friday.
The U.S. The Greensboro Network Distribution Center is operated by the U.S. Postal Service. Federal inspection found “repeat and grave safety violations”, including failure to place safety guards as required. Conveyor guards were routinely removed, putting workers at risk.
According to the agency, staff were not trained on how to safely operate equipment and working around conveyors. According to the news release, workers were allowed to test live electrical equipment without proper training or protective equipment.
According to the agency, its citations include $170,918 in proposed penalties. The citations stated that the facility “exposed employees amputation hazards” between September and November 2021.
“The U.S. Kimberley Morton, OSHA Area Director, stated that the U.S. Postal Service violated long-established safety standards and placed workers at risk. “The USPS is required to eliminate hazards in order to provide safe work conditions for workers and to prevent other workers from suffering tragic and life-altering injuries.”
The news release stated that USPS can request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director or contest findings.
Contacts for media in the U.S. The Postal Service didn’t immediately respond to Sunday’s email request for comment.
In 2020, more than 4700 workers were killed on the job in America. This is a decrease of nearly 11% from 2019, and the lowest number of deaths in seven years, according to the Department of Labor.
