A maintenance worker at H.M. Richards, Inc., was electrocuted in October 2014 while at work.
He was disconnecting wiring on a saw when the accident happened. OSHA’s area director said this accident occurred because the employer “failed to train or qualify Mr. Reece in the duties he was assigned according to OSHA standards.”
The Guntown, Mississippi, temporary site of furniture company H.M. Richards was found to have violated nine safety standards. The company was cited in 2011 for having unmarked circuit breakers, for which they were cited again.
Other electrical citations include lack of electrical safety training for employees, improper lock out/tag out procedures, unmarked ground conductors, and damaged wiring on a fan. NFPA 70E® and OSHA require training for all workers doing electrical work even if that task is operation of electrical equipment. The training must be commensurate with the task. From the press release it sounds as if this should have been a technical electrical task.
The company faces over $55,000 in fines per the Electrical Fatality OSHA Press Release.