Faurecia Emissions Control Systems NA LLC was cited for repeat and serious OSHA violations and fined $314,555 after a 26-year-old worker was fatally crushed in October 2023 by an exhaust pipe bending machine at the Franklin, Ohio facility — the same machine guarding hazard category cited in a 2022 inspection.

Faurecia Emissions Control Systems NA LLC — Worker Crushed by Exhaust Pipe Bender, Repeat Violation (2023–2024)

Outcome: A 26-year-old worker with approximately one year of tenure at Faurecia Emissions Control Systems' Franklin, Ohio facility was fatally crushed in October 2023 while placing cardboard beneath an exhaust pipe bending machine; OSHA cited the company for repeat machine guarding and serious lockout/tagout violations and proposed $314,555 in penalties — the same hazard category had been cited in a 2022 inspection.

In October 2023, a 26-year-old worker at Faurecia Emissions Control Systems NA LLC's Franklin, Ohio vehicle exhaust component manufacturing facility was placing cardboard beneath a machine that bends vehicle exhaust pipes when the machine moved and fatally crushed him. The worker had approximately one year of experience at the facility.

OSHA's investigation found the company had not provided adequate machine guarding to protect workers from caught-between and struck-by hazards during this type of operation. Lockout/tagout training for employees and temporary workers was inadequate; the company's written lockout/tagout procedures lacked required detailed steps for isolating energy sources on the specific machine; and annual safety procedure testing to verify workers' knowledge and compliance had not been conducted. The machine guarding violation was cited as a repeat — the same category had been cited in a 2022 inspection. OSHA proposed $314,555 in penalties.

Primary Source: US Department of Labor cites Ohio manufacturer after 26-year-old worker fatally crushed while placing cardboard beneath exhaust pipe bending machine