FBS Manufacturing Corp has been fined

A federal safety and health investigation by the US Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has concluded that a Marietta manufacturer allowed a forklift operator to work on elevated storage racks without fall protection, resulting in the employee's death.

The investigation follows the 13 February death of a 55-year-old worker who fell 15 ft. (3 m) onto a concrete floor while attempting to move cabinets from metal storage racks onto his forklift's pallet. The cabinets also fell, landing on top of him.

Co-workers called for help after finding the worker beneath the cabinets. Taken to a nearby hospital, the worker died the next day.

OSHA determined that FBS Manufacturing Corp. - operating as Kitchen & Bath Solutions - wilfully failed to ensure that employees used fall protection as required. In addition to the wilful violation, OSHA cited the employer with five serious violations for exposing workers to hazards.

OSHA proposed USD167,933 in penalties for the citations.

"FBS Manufacturing Corp.'s failure to implement legally required safety procedures led to tragedy for a worker and his family," says OSHA area office director Jeffery Stawowy in Atlanta-West. "The fact that this incident was preventable only deepens their loss. This case should remind all employers that prioritising production or profits over safety is never an acceptable choice."

FBS Manufacturing Corp. produces reconstituted wood products and imports and wholesales cabinets.

The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA's area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.