JOHNSON CITY, N.Y. (AP) — An upstate New York food company faces nearly $80,000 in fines after a worker was seriously injured when he fell inside an empty 3,000-gallon vinegar vat.
The Press & Sun-Bulletin of Binghamton reports the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration recently cited the Rob Salamida Co.'s Johnson City plant for a dozen workplace safety violations.
OSHA's said the facility lacked numerous safeguards for employees whose duties require them to enter confined spaces.
The agency says a 33-year-old worker fell into a vinegar tank as he climbed inside to clean it. Police said the man was on a ladder when he fell after becoming overwhelmed by the odor. He spent five days in a hospital.
Salamida makes sauces and marinades. Company president Rob Salamida says many of OSHA's facts are wrong and he'll contest the fine.
