Sometimes the simplest safety fixes, such as a simple modification to a ladder, can help save a worker’s life.

OSHA has cited Parkdale America, a manufacturer of spun yarn, $62,337 in connection with a worker’s death at its Lavonia, GA, plant in September 2010.

The worker fell from a rolling ladder while replacing the drive housing unit on a spinning machine.

OSHA cited the company with one serious violation for failing to ensure the rubber feet were installed on the bottom of the mobile ladder.

The company was also hit with 15 other serious violations, including:

• allowing explosive dust to accumulate
• not monitoring workers’ exposure to cotton dust
• exposing workers to 1.2 times the permissible exposure limit for unwashed cotton dust
• not providing a medical surveillance program for employees exposed to cotton dust
• failing to train employees on the exposure to cotton dust, and
• failing to post a warning sign where cotton dust limits were exceeded.

Cotton dust has long been recognized as the cause of brown lung in textile workers.

The company has 15 business days to decide whether to contest the citations.

Tags: brown lung, cotton dust, fall from ladder, Parkdale America