Sawmill fined $2.5 million for 28 safety violations, which led to the death of a worker

The company, along with its owners John Menza Dudley Jr. and Leslie Elizabeth Dudley, was cited for 22 willful violations, one repeat violation and five serious violations. These violations include failing to ensure employees used energy control procedures, not providing proper training on the importance of the energy control program, failing to use lockout/tagout devices on machinery when performing maintenance, and not maintaining machine guarding. The sawmill faces $2,471,683 in proposed penalties.

In a recent quote, OSHA Regional Administrator Kurt Petermeyer said, “Phenix Lumber’s willful disregard for the well-being of their employees leaves another family to grieve the loss of their loved one. This must stop. This worksite has become all too familiar to OSHA. Phenix and its owners have a legal responsibility to follow federal safety laws that are meant to prevent the exact hazards that cost this employee’s life.”