Call or email us anytime
(805) 484-0333
Search Guide
Today is Monday, March 18, 2024 -

News Articles

Employer Pays $310,000 in Settlement Over Worker Death

  • State: California
  • Topic: WEST
  • - Popular with: Legal
  • -  1 share

Growers Street Cooling paid $310,000 in costs and civil penalties to settle allegations that its systemic violation of safety laws resulted in the death of a worker, the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office announced.

Jose Juan Serrano started working as a machine operator for Growers Street on April 10, 2013, and was assigned to run a machine that wraps pallets of strawberries. On April 26, 2013, he removed a pallet that was stuck in the machine. He was crushed by a counterweight that was activated after the jam was cleared, District Attorney Dean D. Flippo said in a statement.

Flippo said employers are required to train workers on lockout/tag-out procedures intended to reduce the possibility of injury when working on heavy machinery. Workers are supposed to stop a machine, disconnect it from the energy source and place tags on the controls to prevent another worker from starting it.

“Growers Street never trained Mr. Serrano on proper lockout/tag-out procedures before assigning him to operate the Tectrol machine, and did not maintain a written lock-out/tag-out policy and training program for employees,” Flippo said.

A court-ordered injunction required Growers Street to maintain a written hazardous-energy control plan, document lockout/tag-out procedures and conduct annual inspections to ensure workers are complying.

The District Attorney’s Office said it entered the $310,000 settlement with Growers Street after the company provided proof that it is training workers on the safe use of heavy machinery and has implemented a written lock-out/tag-out procedure.

No Comments

Log in to post a comment

Close


Do not post libelous remarks. You are solely responsible for the postings you input. By posting here you agree to hold harmless and indemnify WorkCompCentral for any damages and actions your post may cause.

Advertisements

Upcoming Events

  • May 13-15, 2024

    NCCI's Annual Insights Symposi

    Join us May 13–15, 2024, for NCCI's Annual Insights Symposium (AIS) 2024, the industry’s premier e …

  • Jul 29 – Aug 2, 2024

    76th Annual SAWCA Convention

    SAVE THE DATE! 76th Annual SAWCA Convention July 29 – August 2, 2024 Hotel Effie Sandestin 1 Grand …

  • Aug 14-17, 2024

    CSIMS 2024 Annual Dual Track C

    California Society of Industrial Medicine and Surgery (CSIMS) is combining its two conferences, PI …

Workers' Compensation Events

Social Media Links


WorkCompCentral
c/o Business Insurance Holdings, Inc.
PO Box 1010
Greenwich, CT 06836
(805) 484-0333