BAKERHILL, Ala. – West Chester, Pennsylvania -based Keystone Foods faces $76,734 in penalties after a worker suffered an amputation while working on unguarded machinery, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration of the US Dept. of Labor reported.

OSHA began investigating the company’s processing plant in Bakerhill, Alabama, after learning that an employee suffered an amputation of the tip of his left index finger in March. The 65-year-old man was cleaning an overhead saw when the injury occurred. After finishing its investigation, OSHA issued citations for 12 serious safety violations, including:

• Exposing employees to falls due to unguarded platforms.
• Exposing workers to amputation hazards due to unguarded saws and other machinery.
• Failing to follow safety procedures to prevent machinery from starting while cleaning.
• Failing to ensure workers wore eye protection.
• Failing to address the hazards of propane tanks stored near the ammonia refrigeration.
• Not including procedure to follow in the emergency action plan related to ammonia release.

Keystone Foods is a global foodservice industry processor of fresh and frozen products, including poultry, beef, fish and pork.