Viscofan USA Inc.
Outcome
Viscofan USA Inc. was cited for one repeat and seven serious OSHA violations and fined $197,054 after two workers were severely injured within one week in January 2024 — one suffered broken bones and lacerations when caught in a roller machine and a second sustained chemical burns during equipment cleaning — due to absent lockout/tagout and chemical safety procedures.
Details
Viscofan USA Inc. — Two Workers Severely Injured in One Week, Repeat Lockout/Tagout (2024)
Outcome: A maintenance worker suffered broken bones and lacerations when caught in a roller machine on January 25, 2024 and a second employee sustained chemical burns while cleaning equipment on February 1, 2024 at Viscofan USA Inc.'s Danville, Illinois facility; OSHA cited one repeat and seven serious violations and proposed $197,054 in penalties.
Viscofan USA Inc., a Danville, Illinois subsidiary of a global meat casing manufacturer, experienced two severe worker injuries within one week. On January 25, 2024, a maintenance worker had his arm caught in a roller machine, suffering broken bones and lacerations. Days later on February 1, another employee sustained chemical burns while cleaning equipment.
OSHA's investigation found the company lacked proper energy control (lockout/tagout) procedures to prevent machinery from energizing during maintenance, had not trained workers on the hazards of the chemicals used in cleaning operations, and had failed to conduct required annual reviews of its energy control procedures. The repeat violation indicated the same lockout/tagout deficiency had been cited in a prior inspection. OSHA stated that "two more workers needlessly suffering severe injuries because the company again failed to implement an effective safety program." The agency proposed $197,054 in penalties.
Primary Source: Investigators find continued safety failures by US subsidiary of global meat casing manufacturer contributed to 2 employees' severe injuries
How Crucible Prevents This
Two severe injuries in one week from two different hazard categories — caught-in roller machine and chemical burns during cleaning — indicate a safety program that fails simultaneously on energy control and chemical handling fronts. A Crucible compliance gap tracker requiring documented lockout/tagout procedure completion for each machine model and chemical-specific SDS training completion for each cleaning product before any production or maintenance work is released would have caught both absent controls before either injury occurred.
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