Glister-Mary Lee fined for safety breaches after pasta plant explosion

By Oliver Nieburg

- Last updated on GMT

Gilster-Mary Lee's pasta plant in Steelville, Illinois
Gilster-Mary Lee's pasta plant in Steelville, Illinois
US private label firm Glister-Mary Lee has been fined $231,000 by the US Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for six safety violations following an explosion at a past manufacturing site.

On 6 October last year, two maintenance workers conducting welding operations sustained serious burns after a dust collector at the company’s Steeleville pasta plant exploded.

The workers were trying to repair a metal trough that was leaking granulated sugar within close proximity to a dust collector.

Risk of death or serious injury

OSHA cited Glister-Mary Lee for three wilful and three serious safety violations for the incident.

It said that the company had failed to remove dust deflagration on dust collectors before the welding operations with plain inference to employee safety and health.

The company was also found to have failed to inspect areas where welding was to be performed and failed to prohibit welding in the presence of combustible dust, which created risk of death or serious injury.

Karl Armstrong, director of OSHA's Fairview Heights Area Office: “Gilster-Mary Lee Corp. has a responsibility to protect workers conducting welding operations from known hazards in its manufacturing plants, including explosive dust."

“OSHA is committed to protecting workers on the job, especially when employers fail to do so."

Previous

OSHA has placed Glister-Mary Lee on its Severe Violator Enforcement Program, which mandates targeted follow-up inspections.

OSHA took the decision as the company had previously been cited for 46 violations since 2002.

Among Glister-Mary Lee’s previous breaches were violations involving combustible dust explosion at the company’s Steelville and Momence plants.

The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations to comply, request a conference with OSHA’s area director or contest the findings. 

Related topics Regulation & Safety

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