OSHA cites Tyson Foods in Dakota City, Neb., for willful and serious violations after worker fatality

2012 - 08/27/2012 - US Labor Department's OSHA cites Tyson Foods in Dakota City, Neb., for willful and serious violations after worker fatality: OMAHA, Neb. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Tyson Foods Inc. for seven safety violations after conducting an inspection at the company's Dakota City beef processing facility, where a mechanic was fatally injured on March 14.

The mechanic was performing maintenance work beneath a piece of equipment that had been secured in an elevated position by a chain and quick link, but the chain failed and the equipment crushed the mechanic. A willful violation was cited for ineffective periodic safety equipment inspections and failing to make necessary modifications to the worker safety protection process through the inspections. A willful violation is one committed with intentional knowledge or voluntary disregard for the law's requirements, or with plain indifference to worker safety and health.