When a company in San Diego, California, or across the country more broadly, is cited by OSHA for violating workplace safety regulations and that same company fails to make the proper adjustments to reconcile the infraction, consequences will occur. Not only could injuries be sustained, but that company could incur heavy fines as well as leave themselves susceptible to a lawsuit.
One ship-building company has been cited by OSHA for nine federal violations, one of which was deemed “willful.” A willful violation means that the company knowingly put employees at risk because they were aware of an issue that was not rectified. As a result of this willful violation, one worker recently died from injuries he sustained from his workplace injury.
The victim was crushed between a transfer car and a barge resulting in injuries that lead to his death. Furthermore in recent years, two additional victims employed under this company died — one victim fell from a ladder and the other victim fell while working on a barge.
The violations that company has incurred include improper assembly of equipment, improper training and improper inspection, among other infractions. The fines delivered by OSHA total over $100,000.
Additionally, if the families of potential victims that suffer injuries as a result of these infraction pursue lawsuits over compensation that they may be entitled to, the company would incur further costs in the form of damages. While no amount of compensation or fining will bring back the late workers, it may give the families of the deceased some sense of closure to know action is being taken and enforced.
Source: WDRB, “Jeffboat cited for nine federal violations in worker’s death,” Mar. 1, 2012