Green Township, Ohio - Zwanenberg Food Group USA, a subsidiary of a Holland-based company founded in 1875, is under scrutiny once again after a second worker at their facility suffered a serious injury due to alleged negligence on the company's part. According to a press release from the U.S. Department of Labor, this is the second time since October 2022 that a worker at the Green Township plant has experienced an amputation due to safety violations.

The initial incident occurred in October 2022 when a 29-year-old temporary worker fell into an industrial blender and became caught in the machine's rotating paddle augers, resulting in the amputation of their leg. Subsequent investigations by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) uncovered violations and led to over $1 million in fines being imposed on the company.

However, despite the penalties and citations, OSHA was recently called to the food processing plant again when another temporary worker lost a finger. The investigation, which took place on June 23, revealed that the worker had been employed for only seven months. Comparatively, the worker involved in the previous amputation incident had been on the job for nine months.

Upon investigation, OSHA found that the most recent injury occurred when the worker reached into a meat grinder's discharge port that lacked the necessary safety guards. Consequently, OSHA cited Zwanenberg Food Group USA for two repeat violations: the absence of required machine guarding and failure to train employees on lockout/tagout processes—a safety procedure aimed at preventing contact with moving machine parts.

This isn't the first time Zwanenberg Food Group USA has faced citations for inadequate training. In fact, including the October 2022 incident, this marks the fourth time that OSHA has cited the company for failing to properly train its employees on lockout/tagout safety standards.

OSHA viewed the most recent incident as part of a troubling pattern, raising concerns about the safety of workers at Zwanenberg Food Group USA. As a result, the agency conducted an investigation to assess whether the employees were facing immediate danger due to unguarded or inadequately guarded machinery.

Following the June 23 incident, production at the Green Township plant was temporarily halted, and Zwanenberg Food Group USA agreed to rectify the guard hazards on their processing equipment, provide training on safe machine operation, and implement safety programs. OSHA will be monitoring the company's progress in addressing these issues.

Ken Montgomery, OSHA area director in Cincinnati, emphasized the need for change in Zwanenberg Food Group's workplace culture, highlighting the company's responsibility to prioritize worker safety, particularly for temporary employees who may be less familiar with workplace hazards and control measures.

To date, OSHA has proposed that Zwanenberg Food Group USA pay $1.9 million in penalties for the October 2022 incident. Additionally, the company was placed on OSHA's Severe Violator Enforcement Program in 2017 due to violation of several similar rules. Zwanenberg Food Group USA has contested OSHA's findings regarding the June incident, as well as two other investigations conducted in 2022.

As of now, no spokesperson from Zwanenberg Food Group USA has responded to WCPO's inquiry.

The Green Township facility, which employs approximately 175 workers, serves as Zwanenberg Food Group USA's U.S. base. The ongoing safety concerns highlight the need for comprehensive measures to ensure the well-being of all employees in the food processing industry.