MEADVILLE, PA — A Meadville-based manufacturing company, Fostermation Inc., faces legal repercussions following multiple investigations by the U.S. Department of Labor into a workplace incident that resulted in the partial amputation of a teenage worker’s thumb. The investigations uncovered violations of federal child labor laws and serious workplace safety infractions, exposing a troubling disregard for employee safety at the facility.
The incident occurred in May 2024 when a 16-year-old employee operated an unguarded metal forming machine, leading to a thumb tip amputation. The Labor Department’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) pursued thorough examinations of the incident to evaluate the company’s compliance with child labor and workplace safety regulations. Their findings implicated the manufacturer in multiple serious breaches of federal law designed to protect workers, particularly minors.
“Child labor laws were established to protect minors from workplace dangers. Employers have a legal responsibility to ensure the safety and well-being of young workers,” emphasized Catherine Glencoe, Assistant District Director of the Wage and Hour Division in Charleston, West Virginia.
Regulatory and Safety Failures
The OSHA investigation, which included a complaint inquiry and participation in its National Emphasis Program on Amputations in Manufacturing Industries, highlighted several critical safety deficiencies. Among them were amputation hazards, gaps in machine guarding, and inadequacies in the company’s lockout/tagout procedures – protocols intended to prevent the unintended startup of machinery during servicing or maintenance.
Given these safety lapses, OSHA recorded six serious violations and one other-than-serious violation. Additionally, the WHD determined that Fostermation Inc. had violated federal child labor laws by permitting a minor to operate hazardous equipment. These findings culminated in the company paying $50,192 in civil penalties for its infringement of child labor regulations and $14,700 to settle the OSHA citations.
Broader Implications for Workplace Safety
The implications of these findings extend beyond the Meadville operation, spotlighting the critical importance of enforcing workplace safety and child labor protections nationwide. Federal child labor laws place strict limits on the kinds of work younger employees can perform, particularly in hazardous environments such as manufacturing. Employers are legally obligated to provide safe working conditions and adhere to federal mandates to minimize the risks of workplace injuries, especially for vulnerable and inexperienced workers.
The injuries sustained by the 16-year-old worker have reignited concerns about the prevalence of workplace hazards in manufacturing sectors, particularly those involving young employees. OSHA’s enforcement efforts under its National Emphasis Program on Amputations aim to combat such risks by increasing oversight in high-risk industries.
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