By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
Federal officials have fined an Oklahoma company more than $400,000 for safety violations in connection with the death of an employee in St. Joseph.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) found Skinner Tank Company failed to provide fall protection when 56-year-old Tony Wilson fell to his death in the October 2019.
Wilson worked for Skinner Tank Company of Yale, Oklahoma when he fell 57 feet from the top of a tank. Skinner Tank was working as a contractor at the AG Processing plant on Lower Lake Road in St. Joseph.
OSHA has fined Skinner Tank $415,204 for two willful and 11 serious safety violations. OSHA also has placed Skinner Tank on its Severe Violator Enforcement Program.
OSHA says in a news release the company violated federal fall protection standards by allowing employees to work at heights over 25 feet above ground without sufficient fall protection. OSHA also claims Skinner Tank permitted employees to use damaged fall protection equipment and failed to train employees on fall protection hazards and safety precautions.
Skinner Tank also has been cited for multiple violations of safe crane operation standards.
“Falls are consistently one of OSHA’s most cited hazards and they can be prevented by complying with training requirements and using appropriate fall protection,” Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Loren Sweatt said in a written statement released by OSHA.
Skinner Tank has 15 business days to contest the findings.