Worker killed when malfunctioning door closes on his head; manufacturer pleads guilty to violating safety standards
Fabcon Precast LLC, a Delaware-based manufacturer with operations across the United States, has pleaded guilty to violating federal workplace safety regulations after a fatal accident at its Grove City, Ohio, facility. The incident, which involved the malfunctioning of a pneumatic discharge door, led to the death of a 20-year-old employee, highlighting critical safety lapses in manufacturing operations.
Fabcon, a key producer of precast concrete panels, operates several plants across the country, including the Grove City location where this tragic incident occurred. Employees working with heavy machinery like concrete mixers are expected to follow strict safety procedures to prevent accidents. At this facility, batch operators were responsible for managing the concrete mixer, which used a pneumatic door to release concrete after each batch. However, a critical safety feature—the pneumatic valve used to secure the door—had been broken for several months and had not been replaced.
On June 6, 2020, Zachary Ledbetter, a batch operator, was on shift when the discharge door failed to close properly after releasing a batch of concrete. Because the valve was inoperable, Ledbetter could not follow the proper safety steps to ensure the area was safe. While attempting to free the door, it unexpectedly closed on him, trapping him. He was rescued but succumbed to his injuries five days later.
Under federal law, failure to follow OSHA safety standards resulting in an employee’s death is a Class B misdemeanor, which is the only criminal charge for workplace safety violations at the federal level.
The investigation was carried out by the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, and the case was prosecuted by Adam Cullman, Senior Trial Attorney, from the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson and Acting U.S. Attorney Kelly A. Norris also announced the charge.
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